PSC responds to AG’s Dept. on two officials

The Public Services Commission (PSC) has responded to the Attorney General’s (AG) Department’s recommendation to conduct a disciplinary inquiry against Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Azard Navavi and State Counsel Malik Aziz who were in charge of the file pertaining to Zahran Hashim.

The inquiry is to be conducted on their failure to provide legal advice to the file submitted by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) on Zahran Hashim and National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) in 2017.

Making an Attorney representation on behalf of AG’S Coordinator Nishara Jayaratne, Senior Deputy Solicitor General (SDSG) Vikum De Abrew yesterday made the above submission before the PCOI probing Easter Sunday attacks.

However, the Commission had prevented SDSG Abrew making the above submission and advised him to present before the Commission as a witness and to make the application.

Meanwhile, the request made by President Counsel Shavindra Fernando who appeared on behalf of DSG Navavi to name AG’S Coordinator Nishara Jayaratne as a witness who contempt the Commission was rejected yesterday by the majority opinion of the Commission.

AG’S Coordinating Officer Nishara Jayaratne was summoned to the Commission on the second consecutive day to provide evidence in relation to a media release issued by the AG’S department on June 19, 2019, about the file submitted by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) on National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) and Zahran Hashim.

At the commencement of the hearing, Shavindra Fernando PC opposed to a team from the AG’S Department appearing on behalf of AG’S Coordinator Nishara Jayaratne. However, SDSG Vikum De Abrew informed the Commission that there was no impediment to represent AG’S department official. (YOSHITHA PERERA)