In the last week leading up to the resignation of former President Maithripala Sirisena, the Royal Park assassin Jude Samantha, who was pardoned and released by the President, has caused a great deal of controversy. 19-year-old Swedish-Sri Lankan girl Juan Johnson’s head was hit by a wall until her skull broke and then she was pushed downstairs and killed.

He was sentenced to death for the murder after the investigation of a talented CID officer
Shani Abeysekera.Jude had an affair with Caroline, the sister of the deceased girl, and her sister, Yvonne, was killed on suspicion that she tried to end their affair.

After the release of Jude Samantha, a member of the upper class, Maithripala’s Presidential Media Unit explained that although Jude Shreemantha Jayamaha was 19 years old at the time, he was now a prisoner with a future who had even completed his doctorate and was considering pardoning his death sentence.

 Religious leaders including Athuraliye Rathana Thero, former Supreme Court judges, lawyers, civil society activists, and youth organizations submitted written requests and recommendations to the President to sympathise and give a presidential pardon.

Don Shramantha Jude Anthony Jayamaha, 34, who was sentenced to life imprisonment, is sympathetically considered and given a presidential pardon.

Commenting on her Facebook account, Yvonne Johnson’s sister, Caroline Johnson, said his family used force and money to secure the release of the accused. Caroline had questioned how it would feel if something like this happened to their family, sister, or anyone else. Following the incident, some prisoners also staged a protest demanding their release.

Saliya Peiris, President of the Bar Association had said this. ‘This choice was not made according to the usual procedure. This is a special apology. The death sentence was upheld by the Court of Appeal, which overturned the High Court’s decision that this was not a premeditated murder and convicted the accused of intentional death. The Supreme Court initially dismissed his appeal. He has not been convicted for ten years There are a large number of prisoners who have been charged with lesser offences.

Among them are those who should be treated with compassion. But what kind of fair idea would such a release give to society? ‘ Maithri’s ‘presidential pardon’ was talked about in many places but by then a political change had taken place and the main topic of the country had shifted and the incident automatically went under. However, former parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake and others have revealed on several occasions that the release was due to a money transaction.

Meanwhile, former President Maithripala Sirisena who joined the Derana TV 360 program yesterday spoke about it after a long time. He said intelligence officials had revealed that someone had taken money from family members during the presidential pardon for the convict in the Royal Park murder case.

The former President stated as follows: “Athuraliye Ranatha Thera and this child’s parents came and talked about the Royal Park boy with a letter. I did not care much for that letter. I don’t even know that after that Rev. Rathana would come from time to time with the Royal Park family and ask them to do this somehow. ”

Question: What was his interest in it?

“I really can not say, Because that family is also Christian. They say I have taken 5 cores to release that young man. They say I have taken 800 crores. They say they have taken Rs.500 crores. So I told the CID at the time that there was a rumour going around like this that I had taken a lot of money for the release of the Royal Park kid so I wanted to find out a little bit about this. Later, it was found that the family had given some money to someone. I did not take even five cents and I will not take it ”

 Question: Do you think those who have taken it are the ones who are most interested?

 “Yes, we can say that they are interested.”