CID directs Sirisena to make a statement on Monday

The CID has directed former President Maithripala Sirisena to provide a statement on Monday regarding his claim that he is aware of those responsible for the Easter Sunday attacks.

The Sunday Times reported today:

Former President Maithripala Sirisena will be questioned by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) over his statement that he was aware of who was responsible for the Easter Sunday terrorist attack that claimed 263 lives five years ago.

A senior police officer said that since they had already received a complaint regarding a statement made by the former president, they would record his statement next week.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Gampaha district Parliamentarian Dr. Kawinda Jayawardena lodged the complaint at the CID Headquarters last morning.

Dr. Jayawardena said his complaint was based on the grounds that the former president had failed to disclose information related to the crime, even though it had been five years since the massacre. He failed to disclose information to the commissions he appeared before, and the public could be provoked by his latest statement. The MP said he had called for a full investigation from the CID about Mr. Sirisiena’s fresh claim.

The Sunday Times learns that besides the complaint to the CID, representations have also been made to Public Security Minister Tiran Alles to inquire into Mr. Sirisena’s statement.

Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini, spokesman for the Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, said that church lawyers were studying the statement before initiating action.

Meanwhile, former President Sirisena told the media yesterday that he had received the fresh information only three weeks ago. However, on Friday, when he made the initial comment, he did not disclose when he received the information.

Mr. Sirisena made the comments after the opening of the ‘Dharma Mandiriya’ at the Gedige Vihare (Adahana Maluwa) in Kandy.

Mr. Sirisena said he was willing to make a confidential statement to the judges about those responsible for the Easter Sunday attack and that it was the responsibility of the judges to keep such revelations  confidential.

The former president said the suspects in custody for the attack were the persons he had named earlier and that he could name the real culprits on an order from the judiciary.