News

Supreme Court awards record compensation to victims of Easter Sunday attacks

Published

3 years ago

2023/01/13

Thilina Walpola

Highest penalty Rs 100 mn against ex-President Sirisena

By A.J.A. Abeynayake

The Supreme Court yesterday (12) ordered former President Maithripala Sirisena, former IGP Pujith Jayasundara, former State Intelligence Service Director Nilantha Jayawardena, former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former Chief of National Intelligence Sisira Mendis to pay compensation to the victims of Easter Sunday attacks as they had failed to take action to prevent the bombings despite receiving sufficient intelligence.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena was ordered to pay Rs. 100 million to the victims of the attacks, while former IGP Pujith Jayasundara, and former SIS director Nilantha Jayawardena were asked to pay Rs. 75 million rupees. Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former Chief of

National Intelligence Sisira Mendis were asked to pay Rs 50 million and Rs. 10 million, respectively. The state was asked to pay a million rupees each to those who died in the attacks, and Rs. 500,000 each to the injured.

The court asked the state to pay compensation within six months and asked the Attorney General to present a report on the compensation paid so far.The court also ordered a disciplinary inquiry against the former SIS head Jayawardena.

Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya said that Sirisena and Jayawardena had not revealed the truth in the affidavits they had presented to the court.The court gave this verdict after considering 13 cases filed against the respondents. The seven-member Supreme Court bench comprised Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, L.T.B. Dehideniya, Murdhu Fernando, S. Thurairaja, A.H.M.D. Nawaz and Shiran Gooneratne.

The bench finalised the examination on 05 October 2022. On 26 September the judges decided to remove Wickremesinghe’s name from the list of respondents because he had been elected President.

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INS NIREEKSHAK makes port call in Colombo

Published

6 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

The Indian Navy Ship (INS) NIREEKSHAK arrived in Sri Lanka for Operational Turnaround (OTR) and a training visit on 21 Apr 26.

The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship at the port of Colombo in accordance with time-honoured naval traditions.

Commanded by, Commander Sailesh Kumar Tyagi, this Diving Support Vessel is set to conduct a training programme with the diving professionals of the Sri Lanka Navy.

The crew is also scheduled to participate in several activities organized by the Sri Lanka Navy and visit some tourist attractions within the country.

Latest News

Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern, Uva provinces, and Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts

Published

9 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 12.00 noon 21 April 2026 valid for the period until 11.30 p.m. 21 April 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, Northcentral, Southern, Uva provinces, and in Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts after 1.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:

The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities

Latest News

Six Foreign Envoys Present Credentials to President Dissanayake

Published

10 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

Two High Commissioners, three Ambassadors and an Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See presented their credentials to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (20).

The ceremony, held at 10.00 a.m., followed the formal order of precedence, with the envoys representing Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Luxembourg, the Holy See, Pakistan and Kuwait.

Accordingly, diplomats who presented their credentials were:

01. Vincent Sumale, High Commissioner-designate of Papua New Guinea (Based in New Delhi)

02. Abdullahi Mohammed Odowa, Ambassador-designate of Somalia (Based in New Delhi)

03. Christian Biever, Ambassador-designate of Luxembourg (Based in New Delhi)

04. Monsignor Andrzej Józwowicz, Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See

05. Major General (Retd) Nayyar Naseer, High Commissioner-designate of Pakistan

06. Saleh Mubarak Al-Sarawi, Ambassador-designate of Kuwait

Following the presentation of credentials, the President engaged in a cordial discussion with them. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, and the Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, were also in attendance.