Ex- Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando Sentenced to Death

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando has been sentenced to death by the Colombo Special Trial-at-Bar after being found guilty of aiding and abetting deaths through the dereliction of official duties in connection with the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks.

The case was heard before a Special Trial-at-Bar comprising Judges Priyantha Liyanage, Viraj Weerasuriya and Thilakarathna Bandara.

President of the Bench Judge Priyantha Liyanage and Judge Thilakarathna Bandara ruled that Hemasiri Fernando was guilty of the charges against him, while Judge Viraj Weerasuriya held that the prosecution had failed to establish the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.

In accordance with the majority decision of the bench, the former Defence Secretary was found guilty on 854 of the 855 charges filed against him.

Meanwhile, former Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara was also sentenced to death by the Special Trial-at-Bar this afternoon after being found guilty of aiding and abetting deaths through the dereliction of official duties in relation to the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks.

The sentence was imposed after the majority of the bench found former IGP Pujith Jayasundara guilty on 854 of the 855 charges brought against him.

The twin verdicts mark one of the most significant judicial developments arising from the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.