Sri Lanka Easter bombings verdict: 15 convicted after five-year trial

A prison guard stands near the Colombo High Court as 15 men are found guilty in the Easter Sunday bombing case, a scene that underscored the long road to justice⁷. The verdict ends a five-year trek in which prosecutors pressed 23,270 charges against 24 suspects linked to National Thowheed Jamaat and an ISIS network, with 14 convicted on all charges and one partly convicted while nine are acquitted^7,9,12.

The convictions cover murder, conspiracy to commit terrorism, and possessing firearms and explosives under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and they name Naufer Moulavi as a key figure in organizing the attacks on churches and luxury hotels^7,9,12. The courtroom and security measures reflected how carefully the state treated a case that touched many families and foreigners, including 45 victims and 42 foreigners who died, in a country that has not carried out executions since 1976^7,11,9.

The proceedings, observed by officials and legal observers alike, were conducted with heightened scrutiny, given the gravity of the acts, the international attention, and the need to demonstrate that due process governed every step—from indictment through trial—and to reassure communities affected by fear and loss that the justice system remains steadfast in its duties^7,11.

The next step will be the sentencing, which officials say will occur later, as the court closes a difficult chapter while investigations into the broader circumstances continue^7,9,11.