Hemasiri Fernando

Hemasiri Fernando, a former Secretary to Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence, has been sentenced to death by a Sri Lankan court. The conviction stems from his criminal negligence in failing to act on intelligence warnings prior to the coordinated Easter Sunday bombings in 2019. These attacks, carried out by a local Islamist extremist group, resulted in the deaths of 260 people, including foreign nationals. Fernando, along with former Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara, was found guilty by a three-judge bench in a majority decision. Both officials are expected to appeal their sentences. This sentencing marks a significant development in the legal proceedings related to one of Sri Lanka's most devastating terrorist attacks, holding high-ranking former officials accountable for security lapses that led to widespread loss of life.