A three-judge court in Sri Lanka is preparing to deliver verdicts against Naufer Moulavi and 23 co-defendants accused of involvement in coordinated suicide attacks that occurred in 2019. Moulavi faces charges of masterminding the operations, while the other defendants are accused of roles in planning and executing the bombings that targeted churches and hotels during Easter celebrations.
The prosecution presented what it described as a voluntary confession from Moulavi, which the court initially accepted. However, Moulavi subsequently contested this evidence before the judges, claiming he was not informed of the document’s contents and denying the allegations against him. The defendants face numerous charges, including murder, conspiracy to commit terrorism, and illegal weapons possession. Associates and relatives of nine suicide bombers are among those indicted, with the charges exceeding 23,000 counts.
The prosecution case involved extensive evidence collection and witness testimony. Over 2,300 individuals provided testimony for the state, and prosecutors presented 2,076 pieces of evidence including explosives, weapons, and other materials. The attacks on multiple sites including churches and luxury hotels constituted the deadliest violence in Sri Lanka since the conclusion of its civil war in 2009.
The case has prompted broader accountability measures within the government. In 2023, the Supreme Court found former president Maithripala Sirisena responsible for security failures and ordered compensation payments to victims. Two former senior officials were sentenced to death for criminal negligence, though such sentences are typically commuted to life imprisonment under a longstanding execution moratorium. A separate investigation into former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay, arrested earlier this year, is also proceeding. Sallay faces allegations of orchestrating the bombings with extremist groups, charges he denies. Former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has similarly denied involvement and requested court protection against potential arrest in connection with ongoing inquiries.
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