23 December 2020 12:01 am
By Yoshitha Perera
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.
Earlier, it was informed before the PCoI that a committee appointed by the AG had recommended the Public Services Commission to conduct a disciplinary inquiry against DSG Azard Navavi and State Counsel Malik Aziz.
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.
While making the submission SDSG Abrew said that on December 15 the Public Services Commission had responded to the AG’s recommendation regarding the disciplinary inquiry of the two officials attached to the AG’s department.
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.
Shavindra Fernando PC again questioned the witness whether she carried out the AG’s opinion that the TID did not provide enough information in the EER 08/ 2017 file related to Zahran Hashim.
Responding to the question the AG’s Coordinator said that she could not provide AG’s opinion, and she prepared the media statement based on AG’s instructions.
However, Shavindra Fernando PC informed the Commission that the witness was trying to contempt the commission, and she was not supporting the proceedings.
AG’s Coordinator Nishara Jayaratne testified before the Presidential Commission with tears in her eyes and said that she had never insulted the Commission.