The Supreme Court on Wednesday (21 October) issued an open warrant for the arrest of former State Minister Premalal Jayasekara after he failed to appear before it in an appeal arising from a fatal shooting during the 2015 presidential election campaign.
A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Achala Wengappuli and Gihan Kulatunga ordered that the warrant be executed through the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The court also directed the Inspector General of Police to take all necessary steps to ensure it is carried out promptly.
Senior Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, appearing for the Attorney General, told the court that Immigration and Emigration records showed Jayasekara left Sri Lanka on 31 August 2026 and travelled to Bangkok, Thailand. Counsel for Jayasekara told the court his client could not be contacted and was therefore unable to attend.
President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris, appearing for the aggrieved party, moved for the warrant. The court also ordered that the two other defendants, who did appear, be remanded in custody.
Background
The case concerns a shooting at an election rally in Kahawatta in support of then presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena. Shantha Dodamgoda died in the incident.
On 31 July 2020, the Ratnapura High Court found Jayasekara and two other defendants guilty of murder and sentenced all three to death. On 31 March 2022, the Court of Appeal overturned the convictions and ordered that all three be acquitted and released.
The aggrieved party then appealed to the Supreme Court against the Court of Appeal’s decision. The Supreme Court concluded hearing the appeal on 4 September and issued notices directing all three defendants to appear on Wednesday. Jayasekara, who is known by the alias “Choka Malli”, was a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) parliamentarian for the Ratnapura District.
What it means
An open warrant allows police to arrest the named person whenever and wherever they are found, without waiting for a further court order. The court has not yet announced a decision on the appeal itself, so the question of whether the Court of Appeal’s acquittal stands remains undecided.
For the two defendants now on remand, the case moves forward in custody while the appeal remains pending. Where a person subject to a warrant is outside the country, authorities generally rely on cooperation with foreign governments and legal channels to secure their return, a process that can take time.
The ruling also shows how seriously the court is treating the failure to comply with a court notice in a case in which a death sentence handed down by a trial court was later set aside. Any further orders will depend on whether Jayasekara is located or returns to appear.
