Opposition accuses govt. of trying to tamper with evidence

PCoI report on Easter Sunday carnage:

… fears move to take legal action selectively

By Saman Indrajith

The SJB yesterday accused the government of trying to tamper with evidence to take legal action against those responsible for the Easter Sunday carnage selectively.

Addressing the media at the Opposition Leader’s office in Colombo, Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the Presidential Commission of Inquiry had completed its investigation into the Easter Sunday terror attacks after studying evidence for nearly one and half years and handed over its report to the President recently.

“Thereafter, instead of referring the report to the Attorney General or Bribery Commission to take legal action on the basis of the report’s recommendations, a new committee of ministers has been appointed to study the recommendations. This is unacceptable and illegal. During the previous government, we passed a new law enabling the Attorney General to use commission reports as evidence to file legal action. I, as the then Leader of the House, moved that bill. As per the law, when a presidential commission completes its investigation and hands over its report it should be referred to the Attorney General for legal action. The government is not doing so because some of those the commission has found responsible for the lapses that led to the terror attacks are now in the government.

“The government wants to save them and take action against only others. The ministerial committee has been appointed to suppress evidence.”

Kiriella said that Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith too had called on the government to give a copy of the report to the Attorney General. “The Cardinal has stated that the government is trying to hide some facts. He is right. A member of the committee of politicians has stated that they would study the PCoI report and make recommendations to the President. It is clear now the President is going to take action on the basis of those recommendations. This is not legal. We demand that the PCoI report in its entirety be referred to the Attorney General for legal action. There are enough legal experts in the AG’s Department to study the report.”

The PCoI report had been compiled by three judges. Kiriella said, questioning the qualifications of those who had been appointed to study the PCoI report.

SJB Colombo District MP Dr. Harsha de Silva also addressed the press.