A shocking legal twist resurfaces as Mary Juliet, wife of ex-minister Milroy Fernando, who was sentenced to death for double murder, is found to have been quietly released under a 2009 presidential pardon. The revelation comes amid an ongoing investigation into Sri Lanka’s prison system and unauthorized inmate releases.
The Attorney General’s Department informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court that Mary Juliet, wife of former Minister Milroy Fernando, who was sentenced to death for a double murder in 2005, had been released from custody through a presidential pardon.
Mary Juliet had been convicted of the abduction and murder of two women, receiving a death sentence. However, she was released from prison in March 2009, reportedly as part of a presidential pardon issued by then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa to mark International Women’s Day.
This development came to light during a broader investigation into irregularities in the Sri Lankan Prisons Department, which is currently under scrutiny for releasing prisoners without proper legal procedures.
The issue was raised in court during proceedings involving the suspended Commissioner General of Prisons, Thushara Upuldeniya. Upuldeniya, who was remanded until July 9, was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on June 9.
He is accused of aiding and abetting the unauthorized release of a prisoner from the Anuradhapura Prison during a Vesak Poya presidential pardon.
Authorities are now examining the legal validity of previous presidential pardons and investigating whether prison authorities followed due process in releasing high-profile inmates like Mary Juliet. The case has reignited concerns over executive powers and the transparency of Sri Lanka’s pardon system.
