Easter Attacks: Former Intelligence Chief Completes Rs. 75 Million Payment

COLOMBO (News 1st); Former Chief of the State Intelligence Service Nilantha Jayawardena has informed the Supreme Court that he has completed the payment of the remaining compensation amounting to Rs. 65 million related to the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

This was conveyed through his legal counsel.

Previously, the Supreme Court had ordered Jayawardena to pay a total of Rs. 75 million in compensation in connection with fundamental rights petitions filed regarding the Easter Sunday attacks. 

He had already paid Rs. 10 million, and with this final payment, the full amount has now been settled.

On the 12th of January 2023, Sri Lanka's Supreme Court ordered the government pay Rs. 1 Million as compensation per person to those who were killed in the 2019 Easter Sunday Attacks.

The Supreme Court ruled that the respondents named in the Fundamental Rights petitions for failing to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, despite having credible information of an imminent attack, had violated the Fundamental Rights of the petitioners.

The respondents named in the petitions are Former President Maithripala Sirisena, Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, Former Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara, Former National Intelligence Service Chief Sisira Mendis, and Former State Intelligence Services Chief Nilantha Jayawardena.

Court ordered Former President Maithripala Sirisena to pay a compensation of Rs. 100 Million, Former Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara & Former State Intelligence Services Chief Nilantha Jayawardene to pay a compensation of Rs. 75 Million each, Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando to pay a compensation of Rs. 50 Million.

Former National Intelligence Service Chief Sisira Mendis was ordered by the court to pay a compensation of Rs. 10 Million.

The Supreme Court said that all these funds need to be collected and be used to compensate the victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday Attacks.

Accordingly, the government must make available Rs. 1 Million per person killed in the terror attacks, and Rs. 500,000/- to each person injured in the attacks.