The Negombo District Court today ordered to lay by the cases filed against President Ranil Wickremesinghe on behalf of the victims of the suicide bomb blast that took place at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo. However, the court ruled that the decision to stay the cases against President Wickremesinghe would be effective only during his presidency.
Negombo Additional District Judge Nuwan Taraka Hinatigala observed that second defendant Ranil Wickremesinghe, as the President of the country, is entitled to immunity in terms of Article 35(1) of the constitution.
Meanwhile, the 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 Jayawardhane.
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 Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former IGP Pujith Jayasundara, and former Chief of State Intelligence Service Nilantha Jayawardhane.
All these actions have been instituted, claiming damages based on the negligence of the first-through-sixth defendants named in the said actions.
Senior Counsel Varuna Senadhira, with Indika Abeykoon, Dilum Fernando, Nadeesha Perera, and Ann Seneviratne, instructed by Dilum Fernandez, appeared for the plaintiff.
Attorney-at-law Trevor Fernando, instructed by Udani Karunaratne, appeared for President Ranil Wickramasinghe.
