Those sentenced in MP Amarakeerthi murder case are not real culprits: Nuwan Bopage

11-May-2026

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Attorney-at-law Nuwan Bopage, who is also a presidential candidate of the People's Struggle Movement, has claimed that the 12 persons sentenced to death in the murder case of MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala are not the real culprits and that the convictions were handed down without proper evidence.

Relatives of those sentenced, along with civil activists, organised a special media briefing in Colombo on May 9. 

Several family members and civil society representatives participated in the event.

Speaking at the briefing, Bopage stated that the death sentences were imposed in connection with the killing of Polonnaruwa District MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his security officer during the violence that erupted on May 9, 2022.

He said the country witnessed unusual incidents across various areas on that day, which he described as spontaneous public reactions against what he called a brutal attack on a peaceful protest movement.

Bopage maintained that throughout the protest period, no protester had committed murder or engaged in planned criminal acts, which, he claimed, was why the struggle was praised globally as a "protest of love." He added that there is no eyewitness testimony or direct evidence proving that those sentenced were involved in any killing.

He further alleged that most of the accused were identified as suspects merely based on investigations, video footage, or phone signals indicating that they had been in the vicinity of the incident. He said this was unjust and expressed concern that the maximum penalty of death had been imposed solely based on suspicion and proximity to the crime scene.

Calling for real justice to be served, Bopage stressed that those sentenced are not the actual perpetrators and vowed that they would continue to speak out against the injustice committed against them.