… alleges cover-up

Samagi Jana Balavegaya heavyweight Lakshman Kiriella, MP, yesterday told The Island that the Attorney General shouldn’t be denied access to any information pertaining to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) report on the Easter carnage, as he was the chief law officer of the state.

The former minister was responding to the AG’s department announcement that 22 volumes wouldn’t be released to it due to national security reasons.

Lawmaker Kiriella said that the refusal to hand over 22 of 87 volumes received from the PCoI had exposed the incumbent government. The former UNPer pointed out that the government went to the extent of denying the AG’s Department perhaps the most crucial information relating to the Easter Sunday carnage.

Responding to another query, the MP alleged that the government was planning a cover-up. As the AG had been denied the relevant volumes, the parliament, too, was certain to be deprived of the opportunity to examine them, the MP said, adding that the Opposition would fight for the disclosure of hidden volumes

Kiriella questioned the rationale in the person tasked with prosecuting perpetrators of the heinous crime denied vital evidence. “If the AG was deprived of such crucial information, who can use evidence gathered by the P CoI.” (SF)