Nilantha Jayawardena

Listed from published reports. Appearing here is not a finding of wrongdoing.

Details

Role: Head of the State Intelligence Service at the time of the attacks
Status: Dismissed from the police by the National Police Commission, July 2025
Appears on: Easter attacks
Last checked: 12 Oct 2026 (what this means)

Nilantha Jayawardena / Head of, until December 2019 / State Intelligence Service
- AFP: Senior Deputy Inspector General Nilantha Jayawardena was replaced as head of the service.10 Dec 2019 · Daily FT · Govt. shakes up intelligence agency after Easter Sunday attacks
Nilantha Jayawardena / Ordered to pay Rs. 75 million by / Supreme Court judgment, 12 January 2023
- Ordered to pay Rs. 75 million; the court also mandated disciplinary action against him.12 Jan 2023 · Ada Derana · Five including ex-President Maithirpala ordered to pay compensation to Easter attack victims
National Police Commission / Dismissed from the police, July 2025 / Nilantha Jayawardena
- The commission dismissed him after a disciplinary inquiry found that he failed to act on key intelligence warnings before the bombings. He had been placed on compulsory leave in 2024. The Attorney General’s Department said a criminal investigation into his role was still under review; the article reports no response from him.19 Jul 2025 · Newswire · Ex-SIS chief Nilantha Jayawardena dismissed from police over Easter attack failures