Former President Sirisena Insinuates Athuraliye Rathana Took Money From Royal Park Murderer’s Parents

Athuraliye Rathana and Maithripala | File Photo

JUNE 24, 2022

Former President Maithripala in a startling revelation informed a television host during a Derana  talkshow recently that state intelligence officials had discovered that the parents of the infamous Royal Park convicted murderer Jude Shramantha Jayamaha had given money to an individual during the period when he had granted a Presidential pardon for the convicted murderer’s release.

Insinuating this claim, former President Maithripala Sirisena said that the probable culprit who womuld have received the undisclosed sum, could probably be the person who was the chief negotiator and linkman, who approached him with the convicted murderer’s parents seeking the convict Jayamaha’s release.

The former President and now MP Sirisena said that MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana and the parents of the convicted murderer had met him initially seeking a Presidential pardon for the convicted murderer’s release.

Former President Sirisena said that he didn’t pay much attention to the initial request.

However they continued to visit him and MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana had only several occasions requested him to exercise the powers vested in him as the President of Sri Lanka and grant them their wish through the means of a Presidential pardon.

“During that period there were several rumours that I had received a large sum of money for granting this pardon. Some said I had received Rs. 50 million, some said Rs. 800 billion and some said Rs.500 billion. I can confirm that I did not receive any money,” the former President Sirisena said.

“I then instructed my state intelligence officials to investigate this matter and they confirmed that the parents of the convicted murderer Jayamaha, had in fact given monies to a person during that period.”

The television host then asked him “Could it be assumed that the person who was keen and who was working hard to ensure that this Presidential pardon was granted, is the person who received this money?”

The former President Sirisena then replied “Yes, you could assume that the person who received this sum was the person who was keen to ensure this request was granted.”

Earlier, the former President Sirisena was accused of an act of callous abuse of his office in granting a Presidential pardon to Jude Shramantha Anthony Jayamaha, breaching all procedures stipulated in the Constitution. This was after he blatantly disregarded the decision made by the panel of Judges after an intense investigation was carried out and a court case was heard in convicting Jayamaha for the now infamous ‘Royal Park Murder’.

On November 11, 2019 Colombo Telegraph reported that the convicted murderer Jayamaha is a distant relative of the former President Sirisena.

Jude Shramantha Anthony Jayamaha is the son of reputed businessman Preethi Jayamaha, the owner of Coronation Bar & Restaurant in Negombo and who also owns several upmarket catering services in Colombo.

Kanthi Jayamaha who is the second wife of Preethi Jayamaha is the step mother of Jude Shramantha Anthony Jayamaha. Kanthi Jayamaha is related to Dudley Sirisena who is the brother of the former President Maithripala Sirisena, through her niece.

The former President Sirisena justifying his decision had stated that he had taken several factors into consideration when granting this pardon.

An issued release stated some of the reasons were that he was of a young age (19), when he did commit this crime and that he had pursued higher education during the time of his incarceration and that he had been rehabilitated.

In 2005, Jude Shramantha Jayamaha murdered the sister of his girlfriend Yvonne Johnson at the Royal Park luxury apartment complex in 2005. He had chased her and physically brutalized her to death, whilst banging her head on the floor with the post mortem report confirming that it had fractured into 64 pieces.

This case reached further attention when it came up for appeal. The Judges taking into account the violent nature of the committed act that led to the victims brutal and gruesome murder, then sentenced the convict Jayamaha to death.

In an emotional open letter written to the President, Caroline Johnson, the sister of the victim wrote: “I cannot begin to understand how a father of two daughters reached the decision to release this monster?”

“She fought for her life, even running from her attacker with broken ankles. I know you didn’t follow due process for this murderer’s release, but did you even take the time to look into this case at all?”

“Your silence on the matter since your speech makes me fear we may never know the truth behind your decision, but you will now be attached to this case forever and for all of the wrong reasons.”

Read More