Two ex-Sri Lanka officials sentenced to death over 2019 Easter bombings
Summary
A Sri Lankan court sentenced former police chief Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Ministry official Hemasiri Fernando to death for criminal negligence linked to the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 279 people. The court found they failed to act on intelligence warnings before the attacks, and the two plan to appeal the ruling.Key Facts
- The 2019 Easter bombings targeted three hotels and three churches in Sri Lanka, killing 279 people and injuring over 500.
- Former Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara and Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando were found guilty of criminal negligence.
- The verdict was decided by a 2-1 decision in a three-member High Court bench.
- Intelligence warnings about possible attacks, including a specific alert from India on April 4, 2019, were not acted upon.
- The two officials had previously been acquitted in 2022 but were retried after the state appealed.
- The Sri Lankan Catholic Church believes a larger conspiracy was involved beyond those arrested.
- A death sentence in Sri Lanka usually results in life imprisonment, as the country has not executed anyone since 1976.
- About 800 people remain on death row in Sri Lanka, but most death sentences are changed to life imprisonment.
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