Easter attacks: SC orders to recall defence over acquittal of ex-IGP and Defence Secretary

The Supreme Court has ordered the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar to recall the defence following an appeal filed by the Attorney General (AG) challenging the verdict issued by Colombo High Court to acquit former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former IGP Pujith Jayasundara from the charges of failure to prevent 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks despite receiving prior information.

The appeal was filed against the verdict issued by the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar to acquit the former Defence Secretary and the former IGP from the charges of Criminal dereliction of duty and murder through their failure to prevent 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks despite receiving information prior to the attacks.

This decision was taken by the five-member Supreme Court judge bench led by Justices Preethi Padman Surasena following an extended hearing of the relevant appeal filed by the AG.

The Colombo High Court had earlier ordered to acquit and release Hemasiri Fernando and Pujith Jayasundara without calling for defense testimonies, following the hearing of a case filed by the Attorney General.

The AG had later filed this appeal with the Supreme Court challenging the Colombo HC’s decision, seeking to invalidate the relevant verdict and for it to be declared unlawful.

Following the hearing of the appeal, the Supreme Court judge bench declared that the High Court should have called for defense during the hearings of the case.