AG receives 65 out of 87 volumes

By Hansi Nanayakkara

Attorney General Dappula de Livera, yesterday (2), received 65 of the 87 volumes of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks proceedings, the AG’s Coordinating Secretary, State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said, adding that Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary to the President handed them to the AG.

Jayaratne mentioned the AG had stated a considerable time period would have to be spent before filing charges against the perpetrators behind the Easter Sunday carnage as the AG would need to examine over 1,000 pages of case abstracts, over 1,000 pages containing evidence given before the PCoI and evidence that has been put forth by the Parliamentary Select Committee into Easter Sunday bombings, too. 

She said 22 volumes have not been handed over to the AG due to the sensitive nature of evidence pertaining to national security.

Volume 01 of the report was handed over to de Livera on 25 February. The AG on 12 February had requested for a copy of the final report of the PCoI from Jayasundera in order to consider filing charges against the suspects.

The PCoI appointed to investigate the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks handed over its final report to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on 1 February.

Hearings and other proceedings of the PCoI officially came to a conclusion on 31 January 2021.

The PCoI was appointed by former President Maithripala Sirisena on 22 September 2019 to investigate the terror attacks and to recommend necessary action.