Former IGP Pujith Jayasundara sentenced to death over Easter Sunday attacks

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By Editor_1
The Easter Sunday 2019 bombings devastated three churches and three hotels in Sri Lanka and left hundreds dead - AFP

COLOMBO – The Colombo Permanent Trial-at-Bar on Friday (July 31) sentenced former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara to death, after finding him guilty of failing to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks despite receiving prior intelligence warnings.

The sentence was delivered by a majority decision of the three-judge Trial-at-Bar bench comprising Justices Priyantha Liyanage, Viraj Weerasuriya and Tilakarathna Bandara.

Justices Priyantha Liyanage and Tilakarathna Bandara found Jayasundara guilty of criminal dereliction of duty, attempted murder and murder, and imposed the death penalty.

The verdict was delivered in the case filed by the Attorney General against former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former IGP Jayasundara over allegations that they failed to take action to prevent the coordinated bombings despite receiving sufficient intelligence about the impending attacks.

The Easter Sunday attacks, carried out on April 21, 2019, killed 275 people and injured over 500 others.

The Attorney General had originally filed 855 charges against the two former officials, alleging criminal negligence and breach of duty in failing to act on advance intelligence warnings.

The case was initially heard before a three-judge High Court bench comprising Justices Namal Balalle, Mohamed Irshadeen and Adithya Patabendige, which, on February 18, 2022, acquitted both Jayasundara and Fernando without calling for defence evidence.

In its ruling, the High Court held that the State Intelligence Service (SIS) had failed to provide specific intelligence regarding the planned attacks and found that the then SIS Director, Nilantha Jayawardena, had failed to properly discharge his responsibilities. The court also ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish the criminal intent required to convict the two accused.

The Attorney General subsequently appealed the acquittal before the Supreme Court.

On November 5, 2024, a five-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Preethi Padman Surasena overturned the acquittal and ordered the case to be reopened to allow the defence to present its evidence.

Following the Supreme Court’s order, the trial resumed before the Colombo Permanent Trial-at-Bar, which delivered its verdict against the former IGP on Friday, with a verdict in respect of former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando still pending.

–ENCL

Editor_1
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