• Petitioners including the Sri Lanka Bar Association are pleading an order to prosecute those who are directly or indirectly responsible for the terrorist attacks

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

Former President Maithripala Sirisena through his lawyer yesterday informed Supreme Court that Presidential immunity is not applicable to incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe regarding the acts done in his capacity as the Prime Minister .  

 President’s Counsel Faizer Musthapha appearing for former President Sirisena raised objections against the request that President Wickremesinghe should be discharged from the Fundamental Rights petitions filed over the Easter Sunday attacks.  

“The constitutional provisions are clear that the immunity is for the acts done as the President. The Presidential immunity does not extend to the acts done in any other capacity. In the event the  Court holds that immunity applies, then the fundamental rights applications must be laid by as you cannot hear the case against other respondents,” Musthapha said.  

Counsel Suren Fernando appearing for President Ranil Wickremesinghe had made an application to discharge his client from the twelve Fundamental Rights petitions filed over the Easter Sunday attacks, based on Article 35(1) of the constitution.