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Final report by Commission of Inquiry on Easter Sunday attack to be handed over to President tomorrow
The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) probing the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks is to hand over its final report to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa tomorrow.
The report by the Commission, chaired by Supreme Court Justice Janak De Silva, is expected to explore in detail the circumstances that led to the attacks, their nature and the political and social issues that motivated them.
The report would also contain recommendations aimed at preventing a recurrence of such an attack, and would name individuals who the CoI believes had failed in their responsibilities to stop the attacks despite receiving intelligence on it beforehand, the Sunday Times learns. The report would include the replies given to the CoI by these individuals to questions raised by the Commission.
Former President Maithripala Sirisena first appointed the CoI in September, 2019 and its term had been extended at various times since then. The Commission’s term was finally due to come to an end on January 31.
The CoI had already submitted two interim reports compiled during the course of its term to President Rajapaksa.
The other members of the CoI were Court of Appeal Judge Bandula Karunaratne, retired Court of Appeal Judge Sunil Rajapaksa, retired High Court Judge Bandula Atapattu and retired Justice Ministry Secretary W. M. M. R. Adikari.
The Commission began its hearings on October 31, 2019 and had sat on 214 days in total, holding 640 sittings and interviewing 451 witnesses.
The CoI’s probe had been extensive, with witness testimony being recorded from many individuals directly connected to the attacks. Commission Secretary Buwaneka Padmakumara Herath said the sittings went past midnight on some days.
The Commission was assisted by a team of officers from the Attorney General’s Department led by Additional Solicitor General and President’s Counsel Ayesha Jinasena.