The Presidential Secretariat has taken serious note of recent reports regarding the release of W.H. Athula Thilakaratne, an inmate at Anuradhapura Prison, who was freed under the pretext of a presidential pardon granted for the 2025 Vesak festival. The Secretariat has indicated that there appears to be a significant irregularity behind this incident.
In accordance with Article 34 (1) of the Constitution of Sri Lanka, the President holds the authority to grant general pardons to prisoners. The process involves the preparation of a list of eligible inmates by Prison Superintendents, which is then reviewed by the Ministry of Justice and forwarded to the Presidential Secretariat. Upon receiving the President’s approval, the selected individuals are released under the general pardon.
However, the list of inmates proposed for pardon—sent by the Commissioner General of Prisons to the Presidential Secretariat on 6 May 2025, under reference number 06/01/Yojitha/J.P.Sama/Var:/05-12/2025—contained 388 names. Notably, the name of W.H. Athula Thilakaratne, who had been imprisoned for a financial fraud offense, is not included anywhere in that list.
This clearly indicates that the individual in question was not among those officially approved by the President to receive a general pardon.
As a result, the Presidential Secretariat filed an official complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on 6 June 2025, under the subject: “Regarding the release of a prisoner who was not approved under Presidential Pardon.”
The Secretariat further confirmed that a formal investigation will be launched into the matter, and disciplinary action will be taken against the officers found responsible for the irregular release.
Presidential Media Division
2025-06-07
