Nilantha Jayawardena: Latest News

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has 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 on Thursday (12) 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 imment 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.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on Thursday (12) found Former President Maithripala Sirisena, his Defence Secretary, the Police Chief during his time, as well as the then Chief of National Intelligence, and Director of State Intelligence guilty of violating fundamental right.11 Fundamental Rights petitions were filed with the Supreme Court, claiming that the Sri Lankan administration failed to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday Attacks, despite having information about an imminent attack.The applications contain revelations of reckless failure on the part of the Executive Branch of the government and the Petitioners allege that these illegal omissions effectively betray the people and public trust by recklessly failing to take cognizance and accord due priority to intelligence information received regarding the premeditation of the attacks which could have been prevented if proactive and timely response had been taken.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.Maithripala Sirisena:The Supreme Court observed that multiple gazettes bestowed 23 duties on the President as a Minister of Defence, thus an increase of duties vested in the Minister.The Supreme Court observed that an exponential range of powers over security continued to be bestowed on Minister of Defence as the years rolled by and it cannot be gainsaid that the Minister of Defence was the repository of the national security of the country. The Supreme Court noted that the custody of personal liberty and

COLOMBO (News 1st) : Sri Lanka Police has given immediate transfers to a number of senior ranks, including several Senior DIGs.The Police Media Division said that the Public Services Commission approved the appointment of Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Nilantha Jayawardena to the post of Senior DIG in-charge of Administration.The Senior DIG in charge of the Northern Province Priyantha Weerasuriya was appointed as the Senior DIG in charge of the Central Province.Senior DIG Sanjeewa Dharmaratne who served in the Central Province was appointed as the Senior DIG in charge of the Sabaragamuwa Province.Senior DIG S. C.

COLOMBO (News 1st); President’s Counsel Mohan Weerakoon told the media on Tuesday (19) that Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena, who was the former head of State Intelligence, should be held responsible for failing to take necessary action with regard to the 2019 April Attacks, despite receiving information about the attacks beforehand.“The court records show that Nilantha Jayawardena in his evidence said that what he received on the 3rd of April from Indian Intelligence was just information and that it was NOT intelligence information,” said PC Weerakoon at the President’s Media Center.“He says that thereafter addressed letters to the Inspector General of Police, the Chief of National Intelligence, and others regarding this on the 7th of April, and on the 9th of April Chief of National Intelligence (CNI) Sisira Mendis had sent a letter to the IGP to take necessary action on the 9th of April,” said President’s Counsel Mohan Weerakoon.He said that the then-IGP (Pujith Jayasundara) has acted on the letter and notified all about the information.“During the cross-examination, Nilantha Jayawardena said that the information became intel material on the evening of 20th April 2019,” said the President’s Counsel adding that when questioned about it, Nilantha Jayawardena responded by saying that the person who sent the information on the 4th of April, sent another WhatsApp message to him on the 20th of April.The President’s Counsel said that when questioned Senior DIG Jayawardena on whether he made any attempt to verify the information between the 4th of April & the 20th of April, the latter had responded in the negative.He also went on to note that when he questioned SDIG Jayawardena as to why he did not divulge the information at