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Sri Lanka’s independent regulator has fired a senior police officer, Nilantha Jayawardena, for his failure to prevent the devastating 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 279 people, including 45 foreigners.
The National Police Commission announced late Saturday that Jayawardena, who was then head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), was dismissed for disregarding prior warnings about an imminent attack by Islamic extremists.
Court records reveal that Jayawardena had been alerted to a potential terror strike 17 days before the coordinated suicide bombings on April 21, 2019, which targeted three hotels and three churches, wounding over 500 people.
Disciplinary Action and Prior Accountability
A disciplinary inquiry led by a retired judge found Jayawardena guilty on all seven counts of negligence and dereliction of duty.
The police commission stated, “Considering the gravity of the charges, the commission decided to give him the maximum punishment.”
Following the 2019 attacks, Sri Lanka’s worst terror incident against civilians, Jayawardena was initially removed as SIS chief but was later promoted to deputy head of the police force, overseeing administration.
However, he was placed on compulsory leave a year ago, pending this disciplinary hearing, after repeated judicial orders to take action against him.
A high-level investigation launched shortly after the bombings concluded that then-president Maithripala Sirisena and four senior officials, including Jayawardena, should face criminal prosecution for their lapses.
In January 2023, the Supreme Court ordered them to pay just over $1 million in damages to the victims in a civil case.
The 2019 bombings were attributed to a local terrorist group that had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
Sri Lanka’s new government, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has vowed to intensify investigations into the Easter attacks to identify and hold accountable all those responsible.
