Royal Park murder case

Monks, MPs, a catholic priest requested MS to free Shramantha Jude

A letter submitted by the then presidential assistant secretary revealed

13 June 2023 05:14 pm - 22 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Ven. Athuraliye Ratana Thera, former MPs Ven. Baddegama Samitha Thera, Sarath Kongahage, a Catholic priest and several others had met then President Maithripala Sirisena and pleaded to grant presidential pardon to Shramantha Jude Jayamaha, who was convicted for the killing of a young woman in Royal Park, it was revealed before the Supreme Court through a letter submitted by a then presidential assistant secretary, yesterday.

This was revealed when the Fundamental Rights petition, filed by Women & Media Collective organization seeking an order suspending the Presidential Pardon granted by former President Sirisena to Shramantha Jude, was taken up for further argument yesterday.

The petition was considered before the Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprising Justices S. Thurairaja, Yasantha Kodagoda and Janak de Silva.

Justice Yasantha Kodagoda said that although the reports of the High Court Judge and the Court of Appeal Judge who sentenced Shramanta Jude, should be called, they have not done so according to the constitutional provision.

President's Counsel Sanjeewa Jayawardena, who appeared for the petitioner, said that, Parthikan, the Assistant Secretary of then President Sirisena, had forwarded a letter to the Attorney General containing the names of the persons who made verbal requests to grant presidential pardon to convict Jayamaha.

Shramantha Jude's mother, S.M. Jayamaha, Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera, Ven. Balangoda Buddhaghosa Thera, a Catholic priest, Ven. Baddegama Samitha Thera, Mahesh Madawala and former members of parliament Sarath Kongahage and Nalini Mahatunga had made the request, the letter stated.

Furthermore, the President's Counsel informed the court that no other note was made in the committee report which ordered Shramantha Jude's death sentence to be commuted to life imprisonment. And also the President's Office had not received the Attorney General's instructions regarding the granting of presidential pardon to Jayamaha.

Justice Kodagoda :- According to this process, does it appear that President Maithripala Sirisena has been misled?

President's Counsel Jayawardena :- (The President) has been misled partially. However, in this process, the President has not followed the provisions of the constitution.

Justice Kodagoda :- The report of the high court judge who imposed the sentence as well as the appellate court judge should be called. Didn't they do that?

President's Counsel Jayawardena :- No procedure has been followed (Ranjan Katugampola)

Comments - 22

Lion Tuesday, 13 June 2023 05:38 PM

Not only begging they may have promised Sira millions of bucks for the gesture. otherwise Sira wouldn’t have released this boy.

Chris Tuesday, 13 June 2023 06:56 PM

All had received payments to mislead the justice system. Why was a murderer of a young girl pardoned by the President? Didn't anyone care about the girl's family. Sirisena seems to be always mislead and misleadingly.

Borat Tuesday, 13 June 2023 07:23 PM

Nothing wrong in requesting him to be freed in humanitarian grounds but the law makers should enforce the law

Citizen Tuesday, 13 June 2023 07:27 PM

A president being mislead???? Only in Sri Lanka, another first!!

Nm Tuesday, 13 June 2023 07:38 PM

So we are going to solve our problems by chasing away all 225 from Diyawanna?

Love LK Tuesday, 13 June 2023 07:45 PM

Sri Lankan constitution sounds like a Game card and any president can use it to release someone or to send someone into jail ...if it is the case why do we have judges and court and judiciary..if Donald Trump can stand in the court for his political blunder why not our leaders ...this is a mockery of democracy in our country.. These people make a mockery of this constitution and all 22 Lankans are responsible for this and they let these people to fool them for 75 years and still they do now in this digital age .. I don't blame our politicians and they are smart people and as long as we are fools they can Joly ride over our shoulders.. Good luck for them Poor Sri Lankan people

Tom Tuesday, 13 June 2023 07:46 PM

This shows how deep the rot has gone.

lester Tuesday, 13 June 2023 07:54 PM

Bribery commission needs to investigate the local and foreign bank accounts, deeds, vehicle ownerships of close relatives of these people to see if a bribe was paid to release him. They will never take the bribe to their name.

Nadi Karunaratne Tuesday, 13 June 2023 07:55 PM

Justice in Sri Lanka. How can there be amidst such decay and corruption?

joshua Tuesday, 13 June 2023 09:21 PM

Just because some of these fellows say, the President releases? What kind of President was he? He had army of people including the AG to advice but just did what some clergy said.

Manal Foenseka Tuesday, 13 June 2023 09:49 PM

The justice system of Srilanka had become a joke and even the normal citizens of the country had to folk out lakhs of rupees and cases dragged for years because of the unscrupulous lawyers and dont care justice system. You travel 1000's of miles and spend $$ to attend the hearing and the case will be postponed because the plantiff's lawyer or the defendent's lawyer had double booked themselves. None will inform you, until you are at the court house and realise they did not give a hoot about your time or your resources. This should be changed and Lawyer's and the justice system had to be held accountable. They act if they are above the law and out of desperation we put of with all their crap and fork out $$$

K L L Fernando Tuesday, 13 June 2023 10:34 PM

According to my knowledge the High Court judge taking into consideration the facts that to impose a death sentence the following must be proved beyond reasonable doubts (i) premeditation/plan to murder (ii) intension to murder (iii) Act to kill. But this was a 18/19 yrs old boy who had taken high spirit in a Hotel till mid night may be with this girl also (iv) It was an argument between these known friends which led for this unfortunate incident. On these facts the High Court judge gave 12 yrs rigorous imprisonment as it was according to him this was a manslaughter not amounting to murder. So they appealed for a linear sentence, which became a death sentence. He was a young boy and taking into consideration the above facts they would have made an appeal to the President. The issue is whether was any corruption involved for the pardoning and that is the main issue here

Ram Wednesday, 14 June 2023 02:17 AM

Acting in breach of the Constitution must not be tolerated. If permitted it will open flood gates for politicians to act in violation. RW has violated the constitution by not holding LG elections and his secretary violated the SC order failure to provide funds. This situation must be arrested

dara Wednesday, 14 June 2023 05:38 AM

This is very bad example for justice and unfair for other offenders who were punished similarly, MS had to be very careful,he couldn’t work as another gramma sewaka,, whether jayamaha brought back is uncertain but MS must be punished

Adwani Wednesday, 14 June 2023 06:37 AM

Our former President was a Grama Sevaka not highly educated person. Before, he said that he will never reinstate RW as Prime Minister, rather he would kill himself. But in the end he submitted to court decision to reappoint RW as PM.

Sisil Wednesday, 14 June 2023 08:32 AM

They did not mention about the "Prince Kovansky's recommendation!"

Maithri Wednesday, 14 June 2023 11:54 AM

What happened to the Cases of Dumindu Silva and Gnanasara being pardoned ?

VJ Wednesday, 14 June 2023 02:09 PM

Why was this pardon granted few days before the end of his term? 18 or 19 years maybe, but smashing the head of the victim against a concrete wall is a beastly act. There was no doubt the intention was to commit murder. Is the ex convict in the island now, even if the pardon is ruled wrong by the courts?

Kathir Wednesday, 14 June 2023 02:44 PM

Sri Lanka is jungle country No law no justice and rulings

Jinapala Rajakaruna Wednesday, 14 June 2023 03:53 PM

The mail reason for all these problems is that we do not have a properly elected government with patriotic educated people!

Citizen2023 Wednesday, 14 June 2023 05:26 PM

First n foremost though the ppl voted him to be Prez, MS was not fit to lead a country. His IQ is limited n doesn't know his duties, he was listening to his henchmen, who misled him. Pardoning a murderer is a serious action, he shud hv called for a report from AG n also summoned the CJ n other judges for a their opinion. He was never concerned about the victim's family. MS shud be questioned by the courts n also pressurised to bring the murderer to SL ti face jystuce if he is now residing overseas. The bereaved family paid appropriate comoensation

Zaza Wednesday, 14 June 2023 11:35 PM

We have an all-powerful Executive Presidential System where the President can do anything and get away. Certainly, he is above the law, and cannot be questioned and we tolerate this maddening System. We equally tolerate the quixotic Electoral System. Scream no more, live with it, and die with it.

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Royal Park murder case

Monks, MPs, a catholic priest requested MS to free Shramantha Jude

A letter submitted by the then presidential assistant secretary revealed

Comments - 22

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