The Attorney General has decided not to file charges against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in connection with the May 2022 attack on protesters at the “Gotagogama” encampment in Galle Face during the Aragalaya movement. At the time of the incident, Rajapaksa was serving as Prime Minister under the administration of his brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

According to the Attorney General, the available evidence gathered by investigators was insufficient to support an indictment against Mahinda Rajapaksa for the attack, which resulted in serious injuries to several protesters. However, charges have been recommended against 34 other individuals implicated in the incident.

The suspects face a total of 327 counts, including membership in an unlawful assembly, attempted murder, and causing grievous bodily harm. The allegations are based on eyewitness testimony, circumstantial evidence, and expert video analysis of the events. Of the 34 accused, three have died since the investigation commenced: former State Minister Sanath Nishantha, political activist Dan Priyasad, and former trade union leader Wasantha Hadapangoda.

The remaining 31 individuals will be jointly indicted in Colombo High Court. The Attorney General, Parinda Ranasinghe, has sought the appointment of a High Court Trial-at-Bar to oversee the case, requesting Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena to facilitate this.

Among those to be indicted are former Minister Johnston Fernando, former Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon, ex-Moratuwa Mayor Saman Lal Fernando, former MP Milan Jayathilake, former Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council Opposition Leader Amal Pushpakumara De Silva, former Colombo Municipal Council Opposition Leader Ajantha Liyanage, former Municipal Councillor Mahinda Kahandagama, and Asanka Nalaka Wijesinghe, also known as ‘Arabi Wasantha’.

The attack on the Gotagogama site reflected one of the most violent moments during the widespread protests known as the Aragalaya, which challenged the government’s handling of the economic crisis. The decision not to indict Mahinda Rajapaksa marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation but also underscores the complexity and scale of legal proceedings related to the political unrest.