SC nullifies Ranil’s pardon for man jailed over maintenance arrears
The Supreme Court has declared null and void a presidential pardon granted by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to a man sentenced to 29 months in prison for failing to pay Rs. 1.74 million in maintenance arrears. In a judgment delivered last Friday (23), a three-judge bench held that the remission granted to Mohamed Ameen Mohamed Naseem, […]
The Supreme Court has annulled a presidential pardon given to Mohamed Ameen Mohamed Naseem, a man sentenced for unpaid maintenance arrears, according to <source eb7c4d3f-f0a>. The three-judge bench ruled that the pardon granted under a September 2024 amnesty violated Naseem's fundamental right to equality and equal protection under the law, as outlined in Article 12(1) of the Constitution.
The court found that Naseem received preferential treatment compared to another prisoner serving for similar maintenance arrears, who only received a one-week reduction in his sentence. The court emphasized that the release of Naseem, despite his sentence still being valid, made him a "fugitive from justice" and ordered his immediate surrender to law enforcement authorities.
The court also clarified that the President could grant Naseem a fresh pardon under the law, but no further order was necessary to enforce his original sentence.
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