COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – The top court in Sri Lanka has nullified a presidential pardon for a former lawmaker convicted of murder, ordering him to return to prison for life. The court ruled that the former president did not follow due process when he ordered the release of Duminda Silva, a close associate, who was convicted of murdering a political rival and three others in a public shootout.
Silva, a former member of parliament, was convicted of murder after a shootout in the capital Colombo between rival factions of the then-president’s party in 2011. During the gunfight, former lawmaker Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and three of his supporters were killed by Silva and his bodyguards.
The former leader’s decision to appoint Silva as a top government official in charge of housing after his release from jail had drawn international outrage. The pardon was challenged in court by the victim’s relatives, leading to the recent order to return to prison.
This decision comes as a blow to the former president, whose family has been a dominant force in Sri Lankan politics for much of the past two decades. In 2022, Rajapaksa was ousted by protesters amidst the country’s unprecedented economic crisis.
Criticism of the former leader has also stemmed from the 2020 pardon of an army sergeant convicted of slitting the throats of Tamil civilians, including four children, during the island’s long civil war. The recent ruling against the pardon for former lawmaker Silva adds to the controversy surrounding the former president’s use of pardoning powers.
The move to revoke the pardon serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to uphold justice and accountability in Sri Lanka, especially in cases with high-profile political ties. Although the former president’s influence has waned, the impact of his controversial decisions on the justice system continues to be felt.