Investigation Ordered into the Unauthorised Release of a Prisoner Without Presidential Pardon

COLOMBO (News 1st) -The President's Media Division has announced that the President’s Office has lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) regarding the release of a prisoner who was not granted a presidential pardon.

According to the statement, the matter is under investigation, and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against those responsible for any wrongdoing uncovered during the inquiry.

This situation came to light following the release of W.H. Athula Thilakaratne, who was serving a sentence at the Anuradhapura Prison, reportedly in connection with a financial fraud case. 

His release, said to have occurred in conjunction with the 2025 Vesak celebrations under the pretext of a presidential pardon, has drawn serious concern due to what appears to be a significant procedural violation.

The Presidential Media Division emphasized that the President holds the constitutional authority to grant general amnesty to prisoners under Article 34(1) of the Constitution of Sri Lanka.

According to the standard procedure, prison superintendents submit a list of eligible inmates to the Ministry of Justice. 

That list is reviewed by the ministry before being forwarded to the Presidential Secretariat for final approval by the President.

The media release notes that, for the recent round of presidential pardons on May 6, a total of 388 names were included in the approved list. 

Crucially, the name of the individual in question, who was serving time at Anuradhapura Prison for financial misconduct, was not included in this official list.

The Presidential Media Division further clarified that the release of this individual did not have the President’s approval, and his name was not among those granted pardon.