Case against Pujith & Hemasiri moved to October

The case against IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, filed for allegedly violating fundamental rights by failing to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks, was taken up before the Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne today (22).

Appearing on behalf of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris told the court that statements from IGP Jayasundara have already been obtained while recording statements from the ex-Defence Secretary has is underway. The deputy solicitor general added that the CID is slated to record a statement from Fernando today (22).

The CID has also recorded statements from two senior DIGs and several other officials over the terror attacks on Easter Sunday, the deputy solicitor general further informed the chief magistrate.

Speaking on behalf of the defendants, President’s Counsels Anuja Premaratne and Dilshan Jayasuriya stated that media statements issued by the Attorney General’s Department with regard to the relevant case have caused damage to their clients.

PC Dilshan Jayasuriya, on behalf of the IGP, stated that the media statement issued by the Attorney General recently pertaining to the revision application filed against granting bail to the duo is prejudicial to the defendants.

Stating that media statements as such would prompt the general public to criticize the judicial decisions publicly, PC Jayasuriya sought the chief magistrate’s attention on the matter.

In response, deputy solicitor general stated that every government institution work in accordance with the Establishments Code and that they are obliged to provide relevant information complying with the Right to Information Act.

The chief magistrate ordered the deputy solicitor general to personally inform the Attorney General on the matter and called for a report on the progress of the investigations pertaining to the case on the 3rd of October.

Jayasundara and Fernando were informed to appear before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on July 02. However, the IGP was admitted to the Police Hospital in Narahenpita while the former Defence Secretary was admitted to the Coronary-Care Unit (CCU) at the National Hospital Colombo that morning over sudden illnesses.

A group of CID officers visited both hospitals later and arrested the duo in the evening of the same day while they were placed in remand custody.

Jayasundara and Fernando were released on bail by the Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne on July 09.

On July 18th, the Attorney General filed a revision application before the Colombo High Court against the Colombo chief magistrate’s order granting bail to Jayasundara and Fernando.