The Supreme Court has decided to suspend for seven years a lawyer who was convicted of taking money from a client and failing to appear in court on his behalf.

The order was issued by a three-judge bench comprising Justices Vijith Malalgoda, S. Thurai Raja and Preethi Padman Surasena.

The Supreme Court also ordered the respondent counsel to repay the sum of Rs. 300,000 obtained from the complainant.

The order was issued by a lawyer named Wasantha Wijewardena, a resident of the Ambatenna area. M. The Supreme Court has pronounced the verdict after hearing a complaint lodged by a person named Karunaratne Banda.