Former Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has paid Rs. 15 million of the Rs. 100 million he was ordered to pay as compensation to the victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. Ahead of the July 12, 2023 deadline, Sirisena filed a motion with the Supreme Court seeking additional time to pay the remaining Rs. 85 million. He proposed to settle the balance in ten annual installments of Rs. 8.5 million, starting from June 2024 and ending in 2033.
Sirisena, who claims he lacks the personal funds to cover the entire amount, has stated that he will rely on contributions from his friends to fulfill the compensation requirement. This payment plan comes as a response to the Supreme Court’s order, which held Sirisena and other officials accountable for failing to prevent the attacks despite having prior intelligence.