Hearing of petitions against Pujith, Hemasiri begins at SC

The hearing of 12 fundamental rights petitions filed against two top state officials over the failure to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks began at the Supreme Court today (Jul 25).

Attorney Gamini Perera told court today that the accused, namely Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara, and former defence secretary Hemasiri Fernando, had received prior warnings about the attacks on April 09.

He had pointed out that no action had been taken after Jayasundara had passed the intelligence information to the other Senior Deputy Inspector General’s in the Police Department.

Attorney Perera had made these remarks before the judge bench when a petition filed by a father who lost his two children in the attacks, was taken up for hearing first this morning.

The petitions are being heared before a seven-member judge bench led by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, and comprising Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, Sisira de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardena, Prasanna Jayawardena, L.T.B. Dehideniya, and Murdu Fernando.