Easter Sunday attacks : Court gives ultimatum to Maithripala, Pujith and Nilantha

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda

The  Supreme Court yesterday ordered former President Maithripala Sirisena,  former IGP Pujith Jayasundara, and former State Intelligence Service  (SIS) Director Nilantha Jayawardena to pay their total balance payment  owed as compensation to the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks before  August 30 this year. The Supreme Court further directed the Attorney  General to file contempt of court applications against these three  respondents on September 20 if they fail to comply with this order.

The  Supreme Court’s seven-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice Jayantha  Jayasuriya, Justice Murdu Fernando, Justice S. Thurairaja, Justice  A.H.M.D. Nawaz, Justice Shiran Goonaratne, Justice Kumuduni  Wickremasinghe, and Justice Achala Wengappuli, made this order in  respect of thirteen fundamental rights petitions filed by various  parties, including the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks, which were  called before the court yesterday. The National Police Commission  was directed to conduct a disciplinary inquiry against former SIS  Director Nilantha Jayawardena without further delay. A report in this  regard was ordered to be submitted to the court on September 20.

However,  at the outset of yesterday’s hearing, former President Maithripala  Sirisena sought a six-year time period to pay the total compensation  amount for the victims of the Easter Sunday bomb attacks.

President’s  Counsel Faizer Mustapha, appearing for Maithripala Sirisena, informed  the Supreme Court that his client has already paid Rs. 58 million in  compensation to the victims and further stated that the remaining Rs. 42  million will be paid within the next six years.

In its judgement  dated January 12, 2023, the Supreme Court ordered former President  Sirisena, who held the office of the Minister of Defence at the time of  the incidents, to pay a sum of Rs. 100 million as compensation to the  victims of the Easter Sunday bomb attacks.

However, President’s  Counsel Sanjeeva Jayawardena, appearing for a petitioner in one of the  petitions, informed the court that despite former President Sirisena  owning three properties as per his affidavit, he has not made a genuine  effort to make the payment. He informed the court that former President  Sirisena is possessing eight acres of agricultural land with a house in  Polonnaruwa, one-acre agricultural land in Weliveriya and three acres  residential property in Polonnaruwa.

Meanwhile, the court was  informed that out of the Rs. 75 million ordered by the court, former IGP  Pujith Jayasundara has paid only Rs. 1.9 million and Nilantha  Jayawardena paid Rs.4.1 million.

The court was further informed  that then Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former Chief of  National Intelligence Sisira Mendis have paid the total amount of  compensation ordered by the Supreme Court.