Prisons Dept. responds to inmate’s pardon

Amid growing criticism over the Presidential pardon granted to a convicted fraud suspect, the Department of Prisons has issued a statement defending the release of W.M. Athula Tilakaratne, a former finance company manager found guilty of misappropriating Rs. 4 million.

Prisons Spokesman Gamini B. Dissanayake said that Tilakaratne was among a group of inmates released under the annual Vesak Poya Day general pardon, which is granted to prisoners who fulfill specific eligibility criteria. 

The department emphasised that Tilakaratne was not singled out but qualified under general guidelines due to his sentence structure and remission of his fine.

He had been convicted under Section 386 of the Penal Code by the Anuradhapura High Court and received a suspended prison term alongside a Rs. 2 million fine, payable as compensation. 

The court had ruled that failure to pay the fine would result in six months of rigorous imprisonment. 

However, under the Vesak pardon, the fine was waived, enabling his early release.

Earlier, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Ajith P. Perera raised concerns in Parliament, questioning the timing and appropriateness of the Presidential pardon.

“The suspect was convicted on May 2 for misappropriating Rs. 4 million and pardoned just ten days later on Vesak Poya Day. How did the President grant a pardon to Athula Tilakaratne so quickly,” he asked.

The Department reiterated that the release followed standard legal procedures and was not exceptional or politically motivated.