The Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar has sentenced 12 people to death for attacking and killing former Member of Parliament Amarakeerthi Athukorale and his security officer in May 2022. Four others were handed six-month prison terms suspended for five years, while another 23 were acquitted from the case. Athukorale and his security officer, Jayantha Gunawardena, were attacked by a mob during unrest in Nittambuwa triggered by the attack on peaceful protesters outside Temple Trees and at the Galle Face Green by supporters of the then government. Circumstances of his death As unrest intensified across the island after the assault on the peaceful protestors, Athukorale and his security officer were in Nittambuwa, when his vehicle was mobbed. Video footage showed gunshots being fired, before Athukorale and his security officer, who was seen with a gun in hand, ran away from the scene. They hid in a clothing store nearby, where they were later found dead. While it was initially reported that Athukorale had been shot, the Judicial Medical Officer who examined him revealed that he had died as a result of multiple injuries including fractures and internal bleeding. His security officer however, was found to have died of a gunshot wound to the chest, having also suffered a brain haemorrhage and fractures to his skull. Entry to Parliament Athukorale was a Member of Parliament for the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), who were the incumbent government at the time. He was elected to Parliament from the Polonnaruwa District at the 2020 General Elections. Previously, Athukorale had served as a member of the North Central Province Council from 2008 to 2017.