Former President Maithripala Sirisena says he has no income or financial standing to pay the Rs. 100 million ordered by the Supreme Court as compensation to Easter Sunday attack victims. However, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has said Sirisena will bow to the court's decision and has taken steps to gather the necessary amount.

Sirisena expressing his views on the judgement said he will have to beg while seated in front of the Pettah Bo tree as he has no means to pay Rs. 100 million. He said his friends and acquaintances have decided to collect the money from various sources on his behalf. Sirisena made these comments while attending a party event in Nittambuwa yesterday.

He said while the law must be respected, he had reiterated on many occasions that information pertaining to an impending attack was never conveyed to him by officials. “In the 85-page judgement it is evident that no official had warned me,” he said.

Sirisena claimed he submitted his assets declaration to the parliament every year after becoming President and it shows he is unable to pay the ordered compensation amount. He said he is being blamed for the failures of the officials despite never receiving any information of an attack and has now been asked to pay compensation to victims.