Sirisena, who served as president from 2015 to 2019, issued the pardon just days before leaving office ahead of the presidential election….reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lanka’s anti-graft commission, the Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), recorded a statement on Tuesday from former President Maithripala Sirisena regarding a controversial presidential pardon he granted in 2019 to a murder convict.
Sirisena appeared at the commission’s office to provide his statement in connection with the pardon of Jude Shramantha Jayamaha, who had been convicted of murdering a teenage friend in 2005.
Sirisena, who served as president from 2015 to 2019, issued the pardon just days before leaving office ahead of the presidential election.
The Supreme Court had convicted Jayamaha for the brutal killing of 19-year-old Swedish national Yvonne Jonsson during her visit to Sri Lanka.
Initially sentenced to 12 years in prison, Jayamaha’s penalty was upgraded to a death sentence by the Supreme Court in 2014 after his appeal was rejected.
The pardon, which drew widespread criticism, was reversed by the Supreme Court on June 6, 2024.
The court declared the pardon unconstitutional and ordered Sirisena to pay SLRs 1 million in compensation to the victim’s family and the petitioner.
Additionally, the court directed Jayamaha to return to prison to serve his sentence. However, Jayamaha had already fled to Singapore after his release, prompting Sri Lankan authorities to request his extradition.
CIABOC’s investigation is based on allegations of monetary transactions linked to the granting of the pardon.
Sirisena has denied wrongdoing and stated that he acted within his presidential powers. Sirisena did not seek re-election in 2019 and won a parliamentary seat in 2020.
However, he chose not to contest the parliamentary election held earlier this month. The case has reignited public debate over the abuse of presidential powers and the accountability of political leaders in Sri Lanka.
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