The leave to appeal application filed by former President Sirisena challenging the decision of the DC to proceed with the compensation cases filed against him has been dismissed

The leave to appeal application filed by former President Maithripala Sirisena challenging the Negombo District Court’s decision to proceed with the cases filed against him by the victims of the Katuwapitiya Church Bomb Blast while ordering to lay by the said cases against President Ranil Wickremesinghe was dismissed today by the Negombo Civil Appellate High Court.

The High Court Civil Appeal thereby affirmed the Order of the Negombo Additional District Judge of Nuwan Tharaka Heenatigala, who by his order dated December 15, 2022, held that the cases filed by the victims of the Easter Sunday attack could proceed with the trial against the other defendants, although the said cases against the incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is the second defendant, have been laid by

The Negombo Civil Appellate High Court bench comprised Justice Nishantha Hapuarachchi and Justice Rashmi Singappuli.

The District Court, in its order dated December 15, 2022, observed that the second defendant Ranil Wickremesinghe, as the President of the country, is entitled to immunity in terms of Article 35(1) of the constitution. Accordingly, the District Court rejected the objections raised by former President Maithripala Sirisena and decided to proceed with the cases against him and other defendants, including former Defense Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former IGP Pujith Jayasundara, and former Chief of State Intelligence Service Nilantha Jayawardane.

The next of kin of the victims of those who died and were injured during the suicide bomb blast that took place at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church in Katuwapitiya had filed several lawsuits before Negombo District Court claiming compensation from former President Maithripala Sirisena, then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, former Defense Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former IGP Pujith Jayasundara, and former Chief of State Intelligence Service Nilantha Jayawardhane.

All these actions have been instituted to claim damages based on the negligence of the defendants named in the said actions.