The Negombo District Court on December 16 ordered to lay by the cases filed against President Ranil Wickremesinghe by the next of kin of those who have died and those who were injured during the suicide bomb blast that took place at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo in April 2019, reports Daily Mirror. The Court observed that the second defendant Ranil Wickremesinghe as the President of the country is entitled to immunity in terms of Article 35(1) of the constitution.
The next of kin of those who have died and those who were injured during the suicide bomb blast had filed several lawsuits before Negombo District Court claiming compensation from former President Maithripala Sirisena, then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, former Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former Chief of State Intelligence Service Nilantha Jayawardena. However, the Court rejected the objections raised by former President Maithripala Sirisena and decided to proceed with the cases against him and other defendants.