Two former senior Sri Lankan security officials sentenced to death for failing to prevent the devastating 2019 Easter Sunday bombings will appeal their convictions, their lawyer said today (01)
Former Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former Inspector-General of Police Pujith Jayasundara were sentenced to death by a three-judge bench of the Colombo High Court in a split 2-1 verdict delivered on July 31.
The case stems from the coordinated Easter Sunday suicide bombings that struck churches and luxury hotels across Sri Lanka on April 21, 2019. The attacks, carried out by home-grown Islamist extremists, killed 279 people, including 45 foreign nationals, and injured more than 500 others.
Defence lawyer Chaminda Athukorale said both former officials would challenge the convictions before the Supreme Court within the next two weeks, arguing that the High Court's decision should be overturned.
The landmark ruling has reignited debate over accountability for one of Sri Lanka's deadliest terrorist attacks, with the appeal expected to draw significant legal and public attention in the coming months.
