Former Kurunegala Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa jailed for demolishing King’s Hall

Former Mayor of Kurunegala Thushara Sanjeewa Vitharana and four others were sentenced to three years rigorous imprisonment after being found guilty over the demolition and removal of the King’s Assembly Hall or the King’s Court dating back to the era of King Buwanekabahu, in Kurunegala.

Kurunegala Provincial High Court Judge Lal Bandara imposed this sentence and also ordered the defendant to pay a sum of Rs. 13.7 Million as compensation for damages.

The King’s Assembly Hall dating back to the era of King Buwanekabahu, in Kurunegala was demolished by the Kurunegala Municipal Council, using a back-hoe loader on July 14, 2020 citing the need to expand the road.

Legal action was taken against then-Kurunegala Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa, then-Kurunegala Urban Commissioner Pradeep Nishantha Thilakaratne, Acting Superintendent Ilaldeen Zulfikar, and Back-hoe operator Lakshman Priyantha.

The accused were charged under five indictments, and Kurunegala Provincial High Court Judge Lal Bandara delivering the verdict, said that each offense carries a sentence of one year.

Thus, each suspect received a sentence of three years each, and was also fined Rs. 50,000/- each.