In a historic ruling, Sri Lanka’s High Court has sentenced 15 men to lengthy prison terms ranging between 200 and 260 years for their involvement in the coordinated 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. The landmark decision marks the first set of direct criminal convictions linked to the tragic attacks on three luxury hotels and three churches, which claimed 279 lives—including 45 foreign nationals—and wounded hundreds more.
A specialized three-judge panel in Colombo delivered the long-awaited verdict following a complex, nearly five-year trial involving tens of thousands of charges. Out of the 24 individuals on trial, 14 defendants were convicted on all counts, which encompassed murder, conspiracy to commit terrorism, and illegal possession of arms and explosives under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. One defendant was convicted on partial charges, while nine others were acquitted. The court also ordered the immediate forfeiture of the convicted individuals’ assets.
Among those convicted was Islamist preacher Mohamed Naufar, whom prosecutors identified as a key ringleader and ideological motivator behind the suicide bombers. Naufar was sentenced to 220 years in prison. Overall sentences varied across the group, with one convict receiving a maximum term of 260 years, four sentenced to 240 years, five handed 220-year terms, and five others given 200 years each.
Church leadership responded to the long-awaited verdict with a mixture of relief and calls for further legal action. Speaking on behalf of the Archdiocese of Colombo, Father Jude Krishantha Fernando welcomed the court’s decision, emphasizing that justice was finally being served after years of delay. However, he cautioned that those convicted represent only a fraction of the full picture, urging authorities to continue investigating whether security and intelligence officials failed to act on warnings that could have prevented the tragedy.