Sirisena completes Rs. 100 m compensation to Easter Sunday victims

Former President Maithripala Sirisena has fulfilled the Supreme Court’s order to pay Rs. 100 million in compensation to the victims of the Easter Sunday terror attacks. 

The final instalment of Rs. 12 million was paid on 16 August, completing the total compensation amount required by the Court.

The Supreme Court issued its ruling on 12 January 2023, finding Sirisena, along with several other high-ranking officials, guilty of violating the Fundamental Rights of petitioners by failing to take action to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks despite having received sufficient intelligence warnings. 

The tragic attacks, which occurred on 21 April 2019, resulted in the deaths of over 250 people and caused widespread devastation.

In addition to Sirisena, the Court held former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara, former National Intelligence Chief Sisira Mendis, and former Chief of State Intelligence Nilantha Jayawardena accountable for their negligence. Each was ordered to pay compensation to the victims from their personal funds. Specifically, Sirisena was required to pay Rs. 100 million, Jayasundara and Jayawardena Rs. 75 million each, Fernando Rs. 50 million and Mendis Rs. 10 million.

The Supreme Court also directed the Government to pay Rs. 1 million in compensation to the victims.

The judgment was delivered by a seven-member bench of Supreme Court judges in response to 12 petitions filed by various parties who argued that their fundamental rights had been violated due to the defendants’ failure to prevent the attacks.

On 15 July 2024, the Supreme Court issued a final deadline, ordering Sirisena, Jayasundara and Jayawardena to complete their outstanding compensation payments by 30 August 2024. The Court further warned that failure to comply with this order would result in contempt of Court charges, to be filed before 20 September 2024.