Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has raised serious concerns following the release of a fraudster who was not included among the 388 individuals officially cleared for Vesak pardons. Despite the omission, the individual was released after an order signed by the President — who had earlier pledged a commitment to transparency.
Premadasa emphasized that this incident points to a grave lapse in procedure and called on the President to take full responsibility. “In the interest of transparency and systemic reform, the President should not merely deflect blame. He must publish the full list of pardoned individuals in Parliament and initiate a full audit of the process,” Premadasa urged.
