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Two former Sri Lanka officials sentenced to death for negligence in deadly Easter bombings
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- A Sri Lankan court sentenced former Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara and former Defense Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando to death for criminal negligence linked to the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed over 260 people.
- The bombings targeted three tourist hotels and three churches, resulting in 42 foreigner deaths, and were inspired by Islamic State ideology.
- The court's death sentences are largely symbolic, as Sri Lanka has had a moratorium on executions since 1976, supported by current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
- The verdict was a majority decision, with two judges in favor of the death penalty and one dissenting judge advocating for their acquittal.
- Investigations revealed police and intelligence failures to act on repeated warnings, and separate trials continue for others allegedly connected to the attacks.
