Tuesday Oct 20, 2026
Tuesday Oct 20, 2026
Tuesday, 20 October 2026 06:15 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Former President Maithripala Sirisena, Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera
Former President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday claimed that officials at the Presidential Secretariat misled him during the process of granting a presidential pardon to Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, resulting in a technical error that eventually led to the monk’s reimprisonment.
In a statement, Sirisena said he had studied a copy of the relevant court judgment and understood that a technical defect in documents submitted by the Presidential Secretariat had contributed to the court’s decision.
He said Gnanasara Thera had faced two cases before the Homagama Magistrate’s Court, identified as B 7417/10 and 40042.
According to Sirisena, the Presidential Secretariat’s Additional Senior Secretary in charge of legal affairs had informed him that approval from the Ministry of Justice and Prisons was required in connection with the pardon. However, he alleged that the necessary documents were never forwarded to the Ministry, and that his signature was obtained without securing the required approval, which he said amounted to misleading him.
The former President claimed that the error committed by officials during his presidency had ultimately resulted in Gnanasara Thera being imprisoned again, following legal proceedings initiated through a complaint by Sandya Ekneligoda involving an organisation associated with Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu.
Sirisena said he respected the court’s decision and accepted that the judgment was correct. He also apologised to the Buddhist clergy for the mistake, although he maintained that it had been committed by officials serving under his administration.
He said he issued the statement following inquiries from Buddhist monks, journalists and members of the public seeking clarification about the technical error that affected the presidential pardon.
