The Supreme Court ruled that fundamental human rights had been violated by Ex-President Maithripala Sirisena, Ex-Defense Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, Ex-IGP Pujith Jayasundara, Ex-Chief of State Intelligence Nilantha Jayawardene, Ex-Chief of National Intelligence Sisira Mendis by not taking action to prevent a terrorist attack on Easter Sunday 2019 despite receiving intelligence information.
Accordingly, former President Maithripala Sirisena have to pay 100 million rupees, former Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara and former head of public service intelligence Nilantha Jayawardena 75 million rupees each, former defense secretary Hemasiri Fernando 50 million rupees, and former national intelligence chief Mr. Sisira Mendis. 10 million rupees has also been ordered to be paid as compensation from their personal money.
In addition, the government should pay one million as compensation; it was stated in the judgment.
In addition, the Supreme Court also ordered to take disciplinary action against the former head of the State Intelligence Service, Mr. Nilantha Jayawardena.
The court gave the order by announcing the decision of 12 petitions submitted by the stakeholders saying that their basic human rights were violated by not taking action to prevent the attack in question.
The decision was announced by the seven-member Supreme Court bench consisting of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Bhuvaneka Aluvihare, LTB Dehideniya, Murdu Fernando, S. Thureiraja, AHMD Nawaz and Shiran Gunaratne.
These 12 basic rights petitions were filed by Nandana Sirimanna, a father whose two children died in the bombing, three Catholic fathers including Janath Vidanage, Sarath Iddamalgoda, a tourist businessman, and lawyer Moditha Ekanayake, who was injured in the Shangri-La bombing.