Former IGP Pujith Jayasundara sentenced to death over Easter Sunday attacks

Sri Lanka’s former Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara was sentenced to death today (July 31) over his failure to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks despite receiving prior intelligence.

A majority of a three-judge Colombo High Court bench found him guilty on 854 of the 855 charges filed against him.

The case was heard before a High Court bench comprising Judges Priyantha Liyanage, Viraj Weerasuriya and Thilakaratne Bandara.

Delivering the majority verdict, Judges Priyantha Liyanage and Thilakaratne Bandara found Jayasundara guilty of failing to carry out his official duties, neglecting his responsibilities and aiding and abetting murder.

Announcing the decision, presiding Judge Priyantha Liyanage said intelligence had been received in advance that a terrorist attack was expected on Easter Sunday, but no effective action had been taken to prevent it.

The judge said the failure to perform official duties resulted in the deaths of 268 people and injuries to another 586 in the attacks carried out on April 21, 2019.

At the time, Jayasundara was serving as the country’s Inspector General of Police and was responsible for protecting citizens, preventing crime and ensuring public safety.

The court said that on the evening of April 20, 2019, then State Intelligence Service Director Nilantha Jayawardena had informed Jayasundara that suicide attacks were expected against Catholic churches and tourist hotels in Colombo and surrounding areas.

However, the majority judges ruled that Jayasundara had failed to take the necessary action despite receiving the warning.

They said he had neglected his responsibilities as the senior state official appointed to prevent crime and protect the public.

Considering the serious nature of the offences, the majority of the bench imposed the death sentence.

Judge Viraj Weerasuriya delivered a dissenting judgment, ruling that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against Jayasundara beyond reasonable doubt.

He therefore held that the former IGP should be acquitted and discharged.

The judgment was delivered over more than four hours before Jayasundara was formally sentenced to death.

The latest ruling follows an earlier decision issued on February 18, 2022, when the Colombo High Court acquitted Jayasundara in the case filed against him over criminal negligence of duty for failing to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks despite receiving intelligence beforehand.

That acquittal was issued unanimously by a three-member High Court bench comprising Judges Namal Balalle, Aditya Patabendige and Mohamed Irshadeen.

However, following an appeal filed by the Attorney General and a subsequent order by the Supreme Court, the case was reopened to record evidence from the defence.

Meanwhile, the verdict in the case against former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando over the same incident is due to be delivered.