Pardoning Royal Park murderer, an absurd idea of president -- Letter from Yvonne's sister

Pardoning Royal Park murderer, an absurd idea of president --

Letter from Yvonne's sister

Sister of Yvonne Johnson has expressed her disagreement with regard to the statement made by president Maithripala Sirisena that he is considering presidential pardon to the person who was found guilty in the Royal Park murder case which happened in the year 2005. Yvonne Johnson aged 19 years of Sweden - Sri Lankan mixture was subjected to murder because Jude Shrimantha, supposed to be the lover of deceased sister Carolyn has pushed Yvonne from a balcony of Royal Park housing complex. 

What president Maithripala recently said was that though Jude Shrimantha at that time of a somewhat
tender age of 19 years, he has by now completed his doctorate and is a prisoner who has a future and that he is pondering about granting him pardon from death sentence. Carolyn Johnson, sister of Yvonne Johnson has stated in her facebook account that in order to free the accused members of his family are using their powers and money. Carolyn further states 'How if something like this happens to his family, sister or some other person ... how they would feel it'. 

While it is being under consideration whether pardon should be exercised over Shrimantha Jayamaha who was convicted as being the criminal of the Royal Park murder, it was Carolyn who maintained relationships with Shrimantha initially. Shrimantha has taken steps to murder Yvonne for having mediated in a clash that took place between Carolyn and Shrimantha. Appeal court issued the verdict of death penalty in 2014, and it was an exceptional instance in the annals of Sri Lanka's legal history. With this verdict the acceptance upto then hat only high court could grant death sentence came under a change and it was confirmed by supreme court as well.

In this connection Carolyn has made the following comments in her facebook page: "It is not an easy thing for me to express my ideas in connection with the president trying to pardon the murderer of my sister. But still for all it is a duty I owe my sister. 

Though my father is Swedish, I am a Sri Lankan. We were brought up in Colombo. You may have seen news about my 19 year old sister being brutally killed in Colombo in 2005. My sister is a girl who lived her life so happily. She in fact was a lovable character who had her own dreams and hopes just as much as all other girls and maintained intimate relationships with close, faithful boys and girls. She was someone who was studying fashion designs and was such a good sister. Both of us were close to each other. She always stood by me. I never dreamed that that bond of affection would finally leave an unbearable pain which would forever last throughout my lifetime when ever thoughts of her memories. 

This decision was something we never expected. He was always trying to get scot free across wealth - power - affluence and thus escape justice forever. I am mostly amazed in this instance about the absurd statements the president has made. I invite you to think whether this is the response if this same tragedy took place where your sister is concerned. This incident was not something that happened because of sudden anger. This is a preplanned case of homicide. This murderer has a history where his character is concerned ... even from his schooldays. 

On the day of that incident he had awaited her at the front of his house till she arrived. After that, he had pursued her from the 23rd floor and had pushed her down on the floor and after throttling her had proceeded to dash her on the cement floor until her skull was crushed. After all this, her corpse was found from the 19th floor. 

When hearing in court that the skull was crushed into 64 particles, it is not something that any sister could bear. My helpless father could identify only a corpse without a face. I will not believe that any father would call upon to bear such a pain. I ask him whether as a father who has a daughter would try to grant freedom to a person like this.

This person who even had bought an air ticket to leave the country proceeds to wash away the blood stains of my sister on his body from the swimming pool. We have been appealing for 15 years in the name of justice. When his family was giving bribes to the highest parties and trying to scrape through, we are battling throughout a period of 15 years. I wish to remind that people who have been trying to throw a murder under the carpet ... that you acquired money stained with blood.

Even upto now he has not asked forgiveness for his animalistic behaviour. They are not sensitive even a little bit of the numerous pain and suffering that I and our family are undergoing for ten and a half decades! If she was living ... she may be by now a charming mother. That day at her burial it is not only her body that she buried in the ground ... my, members of our family and her whole life was covered by the soil.

Throughout this 15 years we have tried in many a way to live a normal life. But even after 15 years our lives have no consolation. However we are not prepared to give up our battle. We know that all powers of benevolence and justice are with us. We know that justice would be accomplished to that brutal murderer".

- Carolyn Bradley -