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Death Sentence: A Law in Waiting, or a Political Career Move?

-By Polittical Correspondent

(Lanka-e-News -15.March.2025, 11.10 PM) If you thought Sri Lankan politics couldn’t get any more bizarre, think again. Imagine being sentenced to death, only to get bail, run for parliament, win a seat, and then spend your days voting on national policies while awaiting execution. No, this isn’t the plot of a dark comedy—it’s a real-life political horror show happening right now.

President Anura Kumar, speaking in Parliament, brought up the rather awkward reality that while Sri Lanka technically has the death sentence on its legal books, it has not been implemented for decades. Instead, convicted murderers seem to have found a legal loophole large enough to fit an entire career in politics through.

And the most mind-boggling example? Enter Premalal Jayasekara, a man convicted of murder, sentenced to death, and yet somehow was sitting in Parliament, engaging in lively debates on morality, justice, and—presumably—the importance of law and order.

"To Hang or Not to Hang?" – That is the Question

For years, Sri Lanka has had a love-hate relationship with the death penalty. It exists in the law, but no president has dared to sign the execution order. Meanwhile, convicted criminals, rather than contemplating their final days, seem to be contemplating election manifestos instead.

President Anura Kumar, standing at the podium with what we can only assume was a mixture of frustration and disbelief, reminded Parliament that death row is not meant to be a career opportunity. He pointed out that Sri Lanka has three prisons housing prisoners sentenced to death, yet none of them seem to have much reason to worry.

The budget for a hangman has already been allocated.
Interviews were conducted (presumably with some deeply uncomfortable candidates).
Yet, the hangman position remains unfilled—probably due to the lack of actual hanging.

And so, the ultimate irony remains: while other countries debate whether to abolish capital punishment, Sri Lanka seems to be recruiting for an executioner who has nothing to execute. It’s like opening a restaurant with no food, or hiring a pilot with no planes.

The Guinness World Record Nobody Wants

And then there’s the unbelievable record Sri Lanka has now achieved:

A convicted murderer sentenced to death, out on bail, elected to Parliament, was making national decisions.

Think about it. The legal system says that someone sentenced to death should be kept in isolation to prevent them from committing further crimes. Yet here we are, watching a man who should, by law, be awaiting execution, instead casting votes on laws that could affect our future.

If you ever needed proof that Sri Lanka operates in its own alternate universe, here it is. The Guinness World Records should probably introduce a new category:

“First Person to Be Sentenced to Death and Elected to Parliament”

Because, let’s face it, no other country would even dare to compete.

A Legal System Full of Loopholes

President Anura Kumar didn’t stop at the absurdity of it all—he also raised a crucial question:

How is it even possible?
Why does our legal system allow a death row inmate to get bail?
And if this is possible, what else is the system capable of?

If a convicted murderer can enter politics, what’s stopping a pickpocket from becoming Finance Minister and President –like Ranil ? Maybe we should have fraudsters running the Anti-Corruption Unit while we’re at it.

The problem here isn’t just the death penalty, but rather how Sri Lanka’s legal system can be twisted into absurdity.

In a functioning justice system, a death sentence is the end of the road—not a stepping stone to a seat in government.

Europe, ICC, and the "Batalanda Effect"

And of course, no Sri Lankan political scandal is complete without international outrage.

The European Union, already side-eyeing Sri Lanka over its GSP+ trade privileges, must be watching this circus unfold with a mixture of shock and popcorn.

Meanwhile, some are suggesting that Sri Lanka should sign up for the International Criminal Court (ICC). If that happens, then suddenly, the Batalanda torture chamber criminals and other figures with dark pasts might find themselves facing justice—not in Colombo, but at The Hague.

One could imagine a scenario where, instead of debating in Parliament, some of Sri Lanka’s most notorious politicians might be debating their defense strategies before an international tribunal.

So, What’s the Verdict?

Sri Lanka’s death penalty situation is like an old car sitting in the garage—technically functional, but never actually driven. And when it comes to how justice is applied, we seem to have gone from a system of law to a system of loopholes.

President Anura Kumar has thrown down the gauntlet: