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Duminda Silva

Duminda Silva

No office/position held - party association only · Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)

SERVING SENTENCELast verified 20 March 2026

Overview

Status
SERVING SENTENCE
Current Case
Murder of MP/presidential advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and three others, shot in Mulleriyawa on 8 Oct 2011 during local government election unrest
Sentence
Death sentence (upheld by the Supreme Court, per a secondary source dated 11 Oct 2018); pardoned 24 Jun 2021 by then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa; pardon judicially voided 18 Jan 2024 by the Supreme Court as "arbitrary, irrational" and unconstitutional; returned to Welikada Prison
Next Hearing
Not publicly confirmed
Last Verified
20 March 2026

The short version

Duminda Silva is currently serving Death sentence (upheld by the Supreme Court, per a secondary source dated 11 Oct 2018); pardoned 24 Jun 2021 by then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa; pardon judicially voided 18 Jan 2024 by the Supreme Court as "arbitrary, irrational" and unconstitutional; returned to Welikada Prison following a 2016 conviction. Murder of MP/presidential advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and three others, shot in Mulleriyawa on 8 Oct 2011 during local government election unrest. None further re: this matter - concluded; remains imprisoned under the reinstated death sentence, confirmed as recently as Mar 2026.

How did we get here?

  1. UpcomingCase 2

    Next Step Pending

    Reported as "culminated" with a Rs. 3,000 fine, 6 Apr 2017

    Court: Colombo Additional Magistrate's Court

    Sources (1)
  2. UpcomingCase 3

    Next Step Pending

    Court ordered CIABOC to record his statement in prison with counsel present (order reported 20 Mar 2026)

    Court: Colombo Magistrate's Court (CIABOC investigation)

    Sources (3)
  3. 8 September 2016Case 1

    Convicted — Death sentence (upheld by the Supreme Court, per a secondary source dated 11 Oct 2018); pardoned 24 Jun 2021 by then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa; pardon judicially voided 18 Jan 2024 by the Supreme Court as "arbitrary, irrational" and unconstitutional; returned to Welikada Prison

    Murder of MP/presidential advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and three others, shot in Mulleriyawa on 8 Oct 2011 during local government election unrest

    Court: Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar (trial); Supreme Court of Sri Lanka (appeal and pardon review)

    Sources (9)