June 2, 2025 – June 15, 2025 | Vol.15, #21 & 22 | ISSN 3084-9330
Issue: On June 6, SJB MP Ajith Perera raised concerns about the presidential pardon granted to convicted financial fraudster W. M. Athula Tilakaratne.[1][2]Perera claimed that Tilakaratne was found guilty on May 2 of misappropriating Rs. Four million and was pardoned by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on May 12 as part of the Vesak Poya Day presidential pardons.[3][4]
On June 7, the President’s Media Division stated that Tilakaratne was not among those approved by the president to receive a pardon, and claimed that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) would investigate the release.[5][6]
On June 8, the CID arrested the Anuradhapura Prison Superintendent Mohan Karunaratne in connection with the investigations.[7][8] The following day, the CID arrested the Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya.[9][10]
On June 12, DIG Ruwan Gunasekera stated that investigations by the CID had found that 68 prisoners (57 prisoners on Christmas Day 2024 and 11 prisoners on Independence Day 2025) had been released unlawfully under previous presidential pardons.[11][12]
Photo credits: Lankasara
Analysis Over the past week, the reported ‘unlawful’ release of prisoners under presidential pardons drew significant criticism in the Sinhala...