27 cases filed by relatives of Easter Sunday attacks’ victims Demand compensation

By Yoshitha Perera  

Twenty-seven cases had been filed before Colombo District Court by the relatives of the victims who died and those who became permanently disabled after the Easter Sunday coordinated terror attacks.

They filed their cases seeking compensation for their physical and mental damages suffered.  

Former President Maithripala Sirisena, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe, former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former IGP Pujith Jayasundara, former Chief of State Intelligence Nilantha Jayawardena and the Attorney General were named as respondents in the cases.   

The 27 cases were taken up before Colombo Additional District Judge Augusta Atapattu on Tuesday and the relatives of the victims urged the Court to give a verdict concluding that the respondents were entitled to pay compensation for the injustice done to them.  

In the charge sheet, the victims mentioned that the respondents had neglected to perform their duties in a proper manner despite the several prior intelligence reports received regarding the Easter Sunday attack.   

The Court also allowed six cases filed by the relative of minor victims seeking permission to appear on behalf of them in compensation- seeking cases.  

Prior to filing such a case on behalf of the juveniles, it is considered a mandatory part of the proceedings to obtain confirmation and permission from the Court to appoint proxies to conduct the case on behalf of the minor victims.   

It was also reported that in future around 100 lawsuits would be filed in courts by the relatives who were suffering after the attack to obtain compensation.  

The 27 cases were filed by Attorney-at-Law Sandun Nagahawatta and President’s Counsel Shamil Perera, Attorney-at-Law Shriyani Selvanayagam, Attorney-at-Law Shrimal Ratwatte, Attorney-at-Law Dulika Perera, Attorney-at-Law Shani Peiris and Attorney-at-Law Gimhan Gamage, appeared for the plaintiffs.    

• The people of this country have become the target of other acts of terrorism along with the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019