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Sri Lanka court sentences ex-police chief to death over 2019 Easter bombings

The ruling follows a state appeal of a 2022 acquittal for the former police chief and the defense secretary, after a finding that he failed to prevent the attacks.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Emerging Markets

A Sri Lanka court sentenced former police chief Pujith Jayasundara to death for failing to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed 279 people, including 45 foreigners, according to SCMP Economy.

The three-judge bench ruled in a majority decision that Jayasundara, as inspector general, failed in his duties to stop the deadly attacks, which were blamed on a home-grown Islamist extremist group, Agence France-Presse reported.

Sri Lanka has not carried out death sentences since 1976, operating under an unofficial moratorium on capital punishment. The outlet also noted government figures cited in parliament indicate around 800 people are on death row.

The fast-track verdict on Friday came after the state appealed a 2022 decision that acquitted Jayasundara as well as then defense secretary Hemasiri Fernando, the report said.

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