Minister Vijitha Herath has declared that he will not accept the findings of the investigation committee on the Easter Sunday attacks, citing concerns about the chairperson’s past conduct. This led MP Udaya Gammanpila to question whether the minister would also dismiss the rulings made by the chairperson during her tenure as a judge.
Minister Herath emphasized that legal protocol demands any disputes with such reports be taken to the Supreme Court, rather than rejecting allegations outright, particularly when they involve individuals close to him.
The Minister also referenced the stance of the Archbishop, who has similarly rejected the committee’s report, suggesting it may be because certain individuals they had anticipated seeing mentioned were not included.
Speaking at a media conference in Colombo today, Herath clarified that he is not dismissing the entire report nor disputing the facts presented by the committee led by Alwis. Instead, his objection is rooted in the fact that the judge who chaired the committee had previously left her post in 2004 due to alleged misconduct, only returning to service in 2006.
“If the report is rejected because of her two-year absence from service, are we to disregard the judgments she issued during her 17 years on the bench, from 2006 to 2023? Should those convicted be released, fines reimbursed, and divorces reversed? Minister Herath owes the country an explanation on these matters,” Gammanpila remarked.
Gammanpila also highlighted that while the minister questions the integrity of the committee, he has not addressed the core issue at hand: whether or not Mr. Ravi Seneviratne is guilty of negligence in failing to act on a crucial warning letter he received 12 days prior to the Easter attacks. “Attacking me or the judges won’t change the fact that this tragic event occurred due to Seneviratne’s negligence,” Gammanpila added.
