Twelve individuals found guilty of the murder of former Polonnaruwa District MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his police security officer during the unrest of May 2022 have been sentenced to death by the Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar.

The sentences were delivered today following the conclusion of a lengthy trial. Four other accused were handed six-month prison terms suspended for five years, while 23 individuals were acquitted of all charges.

The suspects were produced before the Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar this morning, with the court delivering its verdict after having deferred the announcement on 14 January.

Athukorala, the then Polonnaruwa District parliamentarian, and his security officer, a Police Constable, were killed amid widespread violence in the Nittambuwa area on 9 May 2022. The incident occurred during nationwide unrest, when a shooting was initially reported in the area, leaving six people injured and admitted to the Wathupitiwala Base Hospital.

Hospital authorities later confirmed that three of the injured had sustained gunshot wounds, while a 27-year-old man who was critically injured subsequently died.
According to evidence led at the trial, the MP and his security officer had opened fire at a group of protesters blocking their vehicle, critically injuring two people.

The two were later found murdered inside a nearby building where they had taken refuge.

CCTV footage presented in court showed Athukorala fleeing the scene with his armed security officer. Following the incident, dozens of suspects were arrested over several rounds of investigations.

The Attorney General subsequently filed indictments against 42 individuals in connection with the killings, leading to the trial before the Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar.