Cardinal questions Minister over release of 10 copper factory workers

• Cardinal Ranjith had raised questions on the transparency behind the release of these workerspositive

By Sheain Fernandopulle  

Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith raised concerns with Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara on the release of 10 workers of the copper factory, owned by Cinnamon Grand Hotel suicide bomber Inshaf Ahamed.  

Cardinal Ranjith expressed this when Minister Sarath Weerasekara called on him at the Archbishop’s House on Wednesday (20).  
Sources confirming this to the Daily Mirror said Cardinal Ranjith had raised questions on the transparency behind the release of these workers and expressed concern on the basis of the order to release these workers.  He also raised the fact that there had been no clear prosecution of any suspect in connection with Easter Sunday attacks, despite the lapse of 21 months after the incident, and in such a backdrop, the release of these workers causes greater concern to the Catholic community as a whole.  

Thus, the Archbishop has requested the Minister to conduct an inquiry to ascertain as to how the evidence against these suspects was manipulated during the probe.  

In response, Minister Weerasekara informed Cardinal Ranjith that it was the Court that ordered the release of these suspects on the instructions of the Attorney General.  

Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya on Tuesday (19) ordered the release of the 10 suspects, who were employees at the copper factory in Wellampitiya.