Former President Maithripala Sirisena has claimed that officials at the Presidential Secretariat misled him during the process of granting a presidential pardon to Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, leading to a technical error that ultimately resulted in the monk’s reimprisonment.
In a statement issued on October 19, Sirisena said he had reviewed a copy of the relevant court judgment and concluded that a technical defect in the documents submitted by the Presidential Secretariat had contributed to the court’s decision.
Sirisena said Gnanasara Thera had faced two cases before the Homagama Magistrate’s Court, identified as B 7417/10 and 40042.
According to the former President, the Additional Senior Secretary responsible for legal affairs at the Presidential Secretariat had informed him that approval from the Ministry of Justice and Prisons was required in connection with the pardon.
However, Sirisena alleged that the relevant documents had not been forwarded to the ministry to obtain the necessary approval, while his signature was secured without completing the required procedure.
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“This was misleading me,” Sirisena said.
He further claimed that the procedural error made by officials during his presidency had ultimately contributed to Gnanasara Thera being sent back to prison following legal proceedings arising from a complaint by Sandya Ekneligoda, involving an organisation associated with Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu.
Sirisena said he respected the court’s decision and accepted the judgment as correct.
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He also apologised to the Buddhist clergy over the incident, while maintaining that the mistake had been made by officials serving under his administration.
The former President said he had issued the statement in response to inquiries from Buddhist monks, journalists and members of the public seeking clarification regarding the technical error that affected the presidential pardon.
