A Sri Lankan high court has convicted 15 of 24 people accused of direct involvement in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, bringing the five-year trial over the country’s deadliest attacks since the end of its civil war in 2009 to a close.
A three-judge bench delivered its verdict on September 22, 2026. Fourteen defendants were convicted on every count they faced, including murder, conspiracy to commit terrorism, and offences involving firearms and explosives under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. A 15th defendant was convicted on some charges. Each of the 15 received a 220-year prison term.
The court also ordered the confiscation of the convicts’ property and other assets. Nine defendants were cleared of all charges linked to allegations that they aided and abetted the suicide bombers.
The case concerned six attacks carried out almost simultaneously on Easter Sunday in 2019. Three churches and three luxury hotels in Colombo were struck: the Cinnamon Grand, the Kingsbury and the Shangri-La. The bombings killed 279 people and injured at least 450. At least 45 foreign nationals were among those killed.
The prosecution identified Naufer Moulavi as the principal planner of the attacks. He was among the 14 defendants convicted on all charges. All of the accused were drawn from Sri Lanka’s minority Muslim community.
Twenty-five men were originally charged. One died in custody, leaving 24 defendants to face judgment. Police filed more than 23,000 charges against the suspects.
The prosecution opened its case in November 2021. More than 2,300 prosecution witnesses gave evidence during proceedings that lasted five years. The court considered 2,076 pieces of evidence, including explosives, swords and firearms.
The judgment against the 15 defendants is separate from proceedings involving senior security officials. Former Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando were sentenced to death in July after being found guilty of criminal negligence. Sri Lanka has not carried out an execution since 1976.
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