Former President Maithripala Sirisena says he will seek the support of his close friends in order to pay the compensation fee ordered by the Supreme Court in relation to the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
The Supreme Court on the 12th of January determined that former President Sirisena and several senior Police officers were guilty of violating the fundamental rights of the victims of the Easter attacks, as they failed to act on the intelligence information received prior to the incident.
Accordingly, the Supreme Court ordered former President Sirisena to pay a sum of Rs.100 million in compensation to the victims of the 2019 bombings from his personal funds.
Several senior Police officers were also instructed to pay compensation for failing to act on intelligence information.
Speaking about the Court determination in Nittambuwa today (15), the former President said when the bombings were reported he was at a hospital in Singapore, adding that he did not receive any intelligence reports of a possible attack.
The former President said he will respect the Court ruling and will not counter the verdict.
He stated that in the 85-page ruling it is stated that as the President he was unaware of the intelligence reports of a purported attack.
The former President said when a state official appointed by the President fails to execute their duties, the President is also held accountable.
He noted that he does not have such a large sum to grant as compensation, adding that his family has decided to seek the support of relatives and close friends.
Former President Sirisena said he has no means of income and has tabled his assets declaration during his five years in office.
Former Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara and former head of State Intelligence Service Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena were also ordered to pay Rs.75 million each while former Secretary of Defence Hemasiri Fernando was instructed to pay Rs.50 million in compensation.
Former Chief of National Intelligence Sisira Mendis was ordered to pay Rs.10 million and the government Rs.1 million as compensation.
The Supreme Court bench also ordered authorities to take disciplinary action against former head of the State Intelligence Service Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena.
The order was issued by a seven-member Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya.
12 petitions were filed by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, the families of the victims of the attacks, Catholic priests and several others.
A case has been filed separately before High Court against 25 individuals, including Naufer Maulavi, Sajeed Maulavi, Mohammad Milhan, Sadiq Abdullah, Adam Lebbe, Eliyas Gaufar Mama, Mohammad Sanas Deen, and Mohammad Rizwan, under 23,270 charges of conspiring and aiding and abetting the Easter Sunday bombings.
A total of 269 persons were killed in the bombings at three Catholic churches, three hotels in Colombo, a tourist inn and at a residence in Dematagoda on the 21st of April 2019.
More than 400 persons sustained injuries with several left disabled.
