The Supreme Court has directed the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar to recall the defense in light of an appeal filed by the Attorney General (AG) challenging the verdict that acquitted former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara. They were acquitted of charges related to their failure to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks despite having received prior information.
The appeal contested the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar’s decision, which cleared the former officials of charges of criminal dereliction of duty and murder stemming from their inability to avert the attacks despite advance warnings.
This ruling was issued by a five-member Supreme Court bench led by Justices Preethi Padman Surasena after a thorough hearing of the AG’s appeal.
Previously, the Colombo High Court had ordered the acquittal and release of Fernando and Jayasundara without calling for defense testimonies following the AG’s case presentation. Subsequently, the AG filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, seeking to annul the High Court’s decision and declare the verdict unlawful.
After hearing the appeal, the Supreme Court bench determined that the High Court should have solicited defense testimonies during the case proceedings.
