SC asks Sirisena, three others to declare assets
Easter Sunday attacks case
By A.J.A. Abeynayake
The Supreme Court on Thursday (02) ordered former President Maithripala Sirisena, former defence secretary, Hemasiri Fernando, former IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former head of the SIS, SDIG Nilantha Jayawardena to pay before 30 June 2024, the full amount the court stipulated as compensation to the victims of Easter Sunday massacre.
A seven member panel of judges comprising CJ Jayantha Jayasuriya, justices Buwaneka Aluvihare, Murdu Fernando, S. Thurairajah, AHMD Nawas, Kumuduni Wickramasinghe and Shiran Gunaratne also refused Sirisena’s request that he be allowed to pay the stipulated amount in 10 years.
The court also asked the defendants to furnish a detailed report of their assets along with affidavits.The judges ordered the defendants to report whether they had sold, handed over or gifted any of their properties by 02 November.
The court said it had ordered, on 12 January 2023, the police to conduct a disciplinary inquiry against SDIG Jayawardena. The judges asked the IGP what the police had done about the SDIG. On January 12, 2023, the Supreme Court found that former President Sirisena, former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former IGP Pujith Jayasundara, former National Intelligence Chief Sisira Mendis and former SIS chief Nilantha Jayawardena had violated the fundamental rights of the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks by failing to take action to prevent the bombings despite having received sufficient intelligence about them in advance.
The SC ordered Sirisena to pay Rs. 100 million in compensation to the petitioners from his personal money, while Pujith Jayasundara and Nilantha Jayawardena were ordered to pay Rs. 75 million each. In addition, Hemasiri Fernando and Sisira Mendis were ordered to pay Rs. 50 million and Rs. 10 million rupees, respectively.
Mendis is the only person to have paid the money.The AG on Thursday said by 11 July 2023, Sirisena had paid Rs. 15 million, Jayasundara Rs. 17 million, Jayawardena Rs. 4.1 million, and Fernando Rs. 2 million.
