19 April 2021 04:09 pm
It is unlikely that charges could be filed against whom the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) has leveled the accusing finger for the alleged involvement of the Easter Sunday carnage before April 21st as demanded by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Justice Minister Ali Sabry said.
Minister Sabry told Daily Mirror that framing charges against suspects was not the duty or the responsibility of the government but of the Attorney General.
The investigations have been carried out by the Sri Lanka Police, the CID and the TID. The files of inquiries concluded on the Easter Sunday attack took place three years ago have been handed to the Attorney General’s Department. Soon after assessing the evidence collected by the police and if the Attorney General is satisfied that there is a prima facie case against any suspect, charges will be framed against him or her. The government must not or should not join in these tasks. Therefore, the ball is in AG’s coat now,” Mr. Sabry stressed.
However, the government does not want to take politically motivated legal action against suspects as similar cases filed against political opponents of the Yahapalana government have collapsed, he stressed.
Minister Sabry said a team of 10 senior counsel from the AG’s Department has been appointed to assist the investigations on the Easter Sunday bomb attacks and added that the government was also keen to see legal action being taken against the suspects who have been involved in this crime. (Sandun A Jayasekera)