Murderers get off scot-free under guise of presidential pardons

• 247 inmates including convicted murderers illegally released
• Forged documents used to fabricate presidential authorisation
• CID launched the probe after a complaint from the Presidential Secretariat

Colombo, June 21 (Daily Mirror) - Several inmates convicted of murder and other serious crimes were among hundreds of prisoners illegally released under the guise of presidential pardons without proper authorisation from the President, the Daily Mirror learns.

Police said a total of 247 inmates were unlawfully released from prisons across the country on three separate occasions, as revealed by an ongoing Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe.

According to the findings, 158 prisoners were released on Christmas Day 2024, 40 on National Independence Day, and 49 on Vesak Full Moon Poya Day, without formal approval from the Head of State.

The CID launched investigations into the misuse of the Presidential Pardon following a complaint filed by the Presidential Secretariat on June 6, alleging that unauthorised inmates were released in addition to those officially approved under the Presidential Pardon programme.

Following the complaint, the CID began the investigations and arrested key prison officials, including the Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya.

Investigations revealed that forged documents were used to fabricate presidential authorisation, allowing inmates to walk free before the President had reviewed or signed the official pardon lists.

The investigations carried out covering 29 prisons across the island found that the Prisons Department had, in fact, submitted official lists of inmates for clemency on each occasion.

A total of 332 names were forwarded for Christmas Day, 274 for National Independence Day, and 388 for Vesak Poya Day.

However, investigators revealed that an alternate list, including 30 inmates from nine prisons, had been used to facilitate illegal releases without the President’s consent.

Police said according to the investigations, no written documentation or official records exist to support or authorise these releases.

Under normal procedure, the Prisons Department submits proposed pardon lists to the President roughly two weeks prior to a given occasion. Only upon formal approval are the inmates released.

In this case, Police suspect that prison officials compiled a separate list and released the prisoners without presidential approval. It was revealed that several of those released were serving time for serious criminal offences.

Earlier, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said that he has instructed the CID to launch an investigation into the inmates who were released illegally and take them back to custody.