- SC has instructed AG to initiate convict’s extradition
The Ministry of Public Security has stated that the Police are unable to take any action until they receive directions from the Attorney General (AG) regarding Royal Park murder convict Don Shramantha Jude Anthony Jayamaha, who is reportedly to be in Singapore.
Late last week, the Supreme Court (SC) quashed the Presidential pardon granted to Jayamaha by former President Maithripala Sirisena, declaring it unconstitutional. The SC also instructed the AG to initiate the necessary legal steps for Jayamaha's extradition, in accordance with both local and international conventions.
When The Daily Morning inquired about the actions the Police could take to extradite Jayamaha, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles said that the Police must wait for the AG's directions. “Now that the case is over, the AG will have to issue directions to the Police on the actions to be taken. The Police cannot do anything without the AG's directions,” he explained.
Media reports have suggested that extraditing Jayamaha from Singapore may be challenging due to the lack of relevant agreements between Sri Lanka and Singapore. When asked about this issue, Minister Alles noted that he was not aware of any such agreement deficiencies, and emphasised that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would need to address related issues, if any.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the AG's Department, and Police Spokesman and Deputy Inspector General of Police Nihal Thalduwa were not available for comment.
Delivering the said verdict, the SC also invalidated the pardon granted to Jayamaha. It was also ordered that Sirisena, who is currently serving as an Opposition Parliamentarian, should pay compensation of Rs. 1 million to the petitioner, the Women and Media Collective, and another Rs. 1 million each to the mother and father of the aggrieved young woman, who was the victim of the Royal Park murder.
In 2014, the SC upheld the death sentence imposed on Jayamaha by the Court of Appeal (he was previously sentenced to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court) for the 2005 murder of 19-year-old Yvonne Jonsson in what is infamously known as the Royal Park murder.