Easter Sunday cases: Sirisena’s appeal dismissed, Wickremesinghe released from 108 lawsuits

The Western Provincial Civil Appeals High Court, and the Colombo District Court, yesterday (01), announced significant rulings pertaining to former President, Maithripala Sirisena, and President Ranil Wickremesinghe in regard to the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage.

The Court dismissed an appeal filed by former President Maithripala Sirisena. The order was issued by a two-judge bench, consisting of Justices Sanjeewa Moraias and Frank Gunawardene.

The former President filed the appeal, seeking a court order dismissing all cases filed before the Colombo District Court against him.

The victims of the Easter Sunday attacks have filed 108 cases before the Colombo District Court against a group of individuals, including the former President over their failure to prevent the attacks,.

Meanwhile, the Colombo District Court released President Ranil Wickremesinghe from the 108 lawsuits, filed by the families of those who perished in the Easter Sunday attacks.

Colombo Additional District Judge Mahesha de Silva said that the second defendant, Ranil Wickremesinghe, as the President of the country, was entitled to immunity from prosecution, in terms of Article 35(1) of the Constitution