Galle Bishop rejects PMD statement on seeking pardon for Royal Park murder offender

Galle Bishop Raymond Wickramasinghe has rejected the statement by the President's Media Division claiming that he was among those who had sought pardon for Royal Park offender Jayamaha.

The President’s Office yesterday (Nov 11) said the President had pardoned death row prisoner Anthony Jayamaha, convicted of killing Yvonne Johnson based on requests made by several parties.

Among the parties mentioned in the Sinhala statement issued by the President’s Office were the Galle Bishop, religious leaders, former Supreme Court judges, and civil activists.

However, some of these parties had not been mentioned in the English translation of the statement released by the President’s Media Division.

“I wish to state that I have not made any request on behalf of Jude Shramantha Jayamaha, neither to the President nor to the respected judiciary,” Galle Bishop Rev. Dr. Wickramasinghe said.

He explained that he does not know the convict and had not carried out a thorough study into the case as mentioned in the statement.

However, the Galle Bishop recalled that he had appealed to the President a few years ago to help prisoners’ especially young detainees “to study and rehabilitate them in a positive environment”.

This had been done after being approached by some Buddhist monks and civil activists, he said. “We will continue to voice the same in future too,” Rev. Dr. Wickramasinghe added.

He noted that the manner, in which this appeal has been used to give an impression on Jayamaha’s case, is “absolutely not acceptable”.

The Galle Bishop called on the relevant authorities to accept responsibility over the mistake, which he said has tarnished his image as well as the Galle Diocese and the Catholic Community.

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