Enough grounds for Sirisena’s arrest – lawyers

By Saman Indrajith and Norman Palihawadane

Former President Maithripala Sirisena is scheduled to make a statement to the CID, today, on a controversial claim he made in Kandy on Friday (22) that he knew who had masterminded the Easter Sunday terror attacks (2019). Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles ordered the police to launch a probe into Sirisena’s claim.

Amidst calls for his arrest for having suppressed the truth, Sirisena amended his statement, on Saturday (23), claiming that he had received new information only three weeks back.

Lawyers said that Sirisena had violated a number of provisions of several statutes, including the Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and the Prevention of Terrorism Act. “Why did he keep this vital information under wraps for three weeks,” a senior lawyer said.

Sirisena said he was ready to share the information with judges in camera. “It could be kept from the public eye only until the judgement on the matter is released. There is no way of keeping evidence in camera a secret forever,” he said.

SJB Gampaha District MP Dr Kavinda Jayawardena was the first to lodge a complaint against Sirisena.  It was followed by a complaint from Lawyers for Justice (LfJ). “If the CID and other respective bodies do not act fast, we are ready to get a writ from the Appeal Court against them including the Attorney General and the CID to conduct a probe,” LfJ’s Attorney-at-Law ManoJ Nanayakkara said. Attorney-at-Law Amila Udawatte of the Lawyers for Truth and Justice said as per the Section 21 of the Criminal Procedure Code, Sirisena had committed an offence. He should be arrested immediately and detained for questioning. We are waiting to see what the CID will do.”

Spokesman for the Catholic Church, Director of National Catholic Mass Communications Rev. Fr. Jude Krishantha Fernando, said that law enforcement authorities should take Sirisena into custody immediately and interrogate him. “There is reason to believe that Sirisena is enacting a political drama as the fifth anniversary of the Easter Sunday tragedy is approaching. Whatever his intentions, he has committed a serious offence. We are waiting to see how our law enforcing authorities will respond,” Rev. Fernando said.

Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa, addressing the media after donating a smart-classroom to the Abhayapura Primary School, Lunugamvehera, said that the entire nation wanted to know who was responsible for the Easter Sunday terror attacks, and former President Sirisena had to reveal who it was.

Minister Alles, on Saturday, instructed IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon to launch an investigation into Sirisena’s claim immediately. Tennakoon, speaking to the media after meeting Chief Incumbent of the Asgiriya Maha Viharaya, Ven Narampanawe in Kandy, yesterday, said that he had ordered the CID to record a statement from Sirisena within 48 hours.

Asked whether Sirisena could be taken into custody, the IGP said it was too early to make an arrest but it could be prompted by the way Sirisena prefers to share whatever information he was said to possess.

Sirisena announced yesterday evening that he would visit the CID Headquarters on Monday (25) to make a statement.Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said that Sirisena had informed the CID that he would be present at the CID Headquarters today.