Easter Sunday bomb attacks: Verdict in case against 24 accused today
22-Sep-2026.
The verdict in the case against 24 accused, including Naufer Moulavi, in connection with the Easter Sunday bomb attacks is scheduled to be delivered today, September 22, before a three-member Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar. The verdict is being closely awaited nationally and internationally.
Accordingly, the judicial bench has ordered the Superintendents of the Colombo Remand Prison and Welikada Prison to produce all the accused before court at 9.00 a.m. today, September 22, 2026.
The case has been heard before a three-member Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar comprising High Court Judge Navaratne Marasinghe, Justice Sujeewa Nissanka and Justice Ramanathan Kannan. The verdict is scheduled to be delivered today.
A total of 31 cases have been filed before the courts in connection with the Easter Sunday terrorist bomb attacks, of which five cases are currently being heard before three-member High Court benches in Colombo. Proceedings in three of these cases have been concluded and the accused have already been sentenced.
A three-member High Court bench of the Sabaragamuwa Province has sentenced 11 persons found guilty in connection with the incident in which seven Buddha statues were damaged in the Mawanella area. Following these three cases, verdicts are also due to be delivered in three further cases in which hearings have been concluded.
Meanwhile, the trial against six suspects before a three-member High Court bench in Puttalam concerning the alleged operation of a terrorist training camp and an explosives storage facility in the Lecktoswatta area has reached its final stage. The case, which had been filed before the Puttalam High Court, was transferred to the Colombo High Court several months ago to facilitate an effective hearing.
Against this backdrop, the trial involving 24 accused before the three-member Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar in Colombo has concluded, and the verdict is scheduled to be delivered today.
The Attorney General had filed the case against 25 accused, including several moulavis, on 23,270 charges, including allegedly concealing information regarding plans by a group led by Zahran to carry out bomb attacks on April 21, 2019.
As the 17th accused died in prison before the commencement of the trial, proceedings were continued against 24 accused.
Both parties have concluded the presentation of their final written submissions before the court at the Hulftsdorp Magistrate's Court Complex (MMC) building amid tight security. In addition, a member of Zahran's suicide bomber group turned state witness and disclosed a number of details relating to the case.
A team of lawyers led by Additional Solicitor General Haripriya Jayasundara and Additional Solicitor General Sudarshan de Silva appeared for the prosecution and conducted the case.
The judicial bench had already ordered the Superintendents of the Colombo Remand Prison and Welikada Prison to produce all the accused before court by 9.00 a.m. today.
Accordingly, the verdict in the case is being closely awaited at both national and international levels.
