The Supreme Court has concluded that the presidential pardon granted by former President Maithripala Sirisena to Jude Shramantha Jayamaha in 2019, was unconstitutional.

Delivering the verdict, the Supreme Court also invalidated the pardon granted to Jude Shramantha Jayamaha.

Jude Anthony Jayamaha, who was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of 19-year-old Yvonne Johnson at the Royal Park apartment complex, was sentenced to death in 2012.

Meanwhile, it was also ordered that former President Maithripala Sirisena should pay a compensation of Rs. 01 million to the petitioner, and Rs. 01 million each to the mother and father of the aggrieved young woman, who was the victim of the Royal Park murder.

The Supreme Court, which ruled that former President Sirisena had intentionally violated the Constitution through this act, ordered the Attorney General to take the necessary legal measures for the extradition of the defendant, who is currently overseas, according to local and international conventions.

This verdict was delivered by a three-member Supreme Court bench comprising Justices S. Thurairaja, Yasantha Kodagoda, and Janak de Silva, following the consideration of a fundamental rights petition filed by the Women and Media Collective.