Failure to prevent Easter Sunday attacks: President RW released from 108 lawsuits

• Decision to release the second defendant from the cases would only operate for the period he holds the post of Presidency

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

The Colombo District Court yesteday ordered to release President Ranil Wickremesinghe from 108 lawsuits filed by the next of kin of those who died and were injured due to the Easter Sunday suicide bomb blasts which took place in Colombo. 

Colombo Additional District Judge Mahesha de Silva observed that second defendant Ranil Wickremesinghe as the President of the country is entitled to immunity in terms of Article 35(1) of the constitution. However, the court observed that the decision to release the second defendant from the cases would only operate for the period he holds the post of Presidency.   Meanwhile, the Court rejected the objections raised by former President Maithripala Sirisena and decided to proceed with the cases against him and other defendants including former Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former Chief of State Intelligence Service Nilantha Jayawardena.  

The victims of those who died and were injured due to the suicide bomb blasts which took place in Colombo had filed these lawsuits before Colombo District Court claiming compensations from former President Maithripala Sirisena, then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, former Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former Chief of State Intelligence Service Nilantha Jayawardena.  

All these actions have been instituted claiming damages based on the negligence of the first to sixth Defendants named in the said actions.