The Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar is set to pronounce judgments against former Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando over alleged failures to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
The long-delayed legal proceedings against two former top state officials accused of negligence in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks are approaching resolution, with verdicts scheduled to be delivered by the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar. Former Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando face charges related to criminal negligence and dereliction of duty for their alleged failure to act on intelligence warnings of an imminent attack.
The charges centre on accusations that both officials failed to take preventive measures despite receiving intelligence information about the planned attacks. The 2019 Easter Sunday bombings remain among the deadliest terrorist incidents in Sri Lankan history. The current trial proceedings concluded in mid-June, with hearings against Jayasundara finishing on June 12 and those against Fernando concluding on June 13.
The cases have followed a complex legal trajectory. In February 2022, the original Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar acquitted both accused without requiring them to present a defence after reviewing prosecution evidence. However, the Attorney General subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing the acquittals were contrary to law. The Supreme Court ordered a retrial, which has now been heard before a fresh three-judge bench comprising justices Priyantha Liyanage, Viraj Weerasuriya, and Thilakarathna Bandara.
Today's judgments will determine whether the fresh charges against the two former officials will stand or whether they will again be acquitted.
