Court dismisses Maithripala’s petition

The Western Province Civil Appeals High Court has dismissed a petition filed by former President Maithripala Sirisena pertaining to the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

An appeal petition was filed by the Sirisena requesting to be released from all cases seeking compensation that were filed against him by victims of the Easter attacks.

The order has been issued by a two-member judge bench consisting of Justices Sanjeewa Morayas and Frank Gunawardene yesterday.

In January 2023, the Supreme Court ordered a group of former Government officials, including Maithripala Sirisena to pay compensation for the victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The order was issued by the Supreme Court as it announced the verdict in relation to the case filed against Sirisena and several others over failing to prevent the Easter attacks despite having prior intelligence information.

The Supreme Court ordered former President Sirisena to pay Rs. 100 million, and former Secretary of Defence Hemasiri Fernando to pay Rs. 50 million in compensation to the victims of the Easter attacks.

The court also ordered former State Intelligence Service Director Nilantha Jayawardena and former Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara to pay Rs. 75 million each, and National Intelligence Chief Sisira Mendis is to pay Rs. 10 million as compensation to the victims.

The verdict was issued after 12 petitions that were filed by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, the families of the victims of the attacks, Catholic priests and several others were heard before a seven‒member bench headed by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya.