President’s Counsel Mohan Weerakoon states Former Chief of the State Intelligence Service Nilantha Jayawardena should be held accountable for the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. Speaking during a media briefing at the Presidential Media Centre on investigations pertaining to the Easter Attacks, Presidents Counsel Weerakoon said Jayawardena claimed the information that was given to him by Indian Intelligence Services on the 4th of April could not be classified as intelligence, but general information.
The President’s Counsel stated Nihal Jayawardena had written letters to the Chief of National Intelligence and the Inspector-General of Police on the 7th of April. He stated on the 9th of April CNI Chief Sisira Mendis had written to the IGP asking him to act on the report.
Mohan Weerakoon PC said upon cross-examining the former State Intelligence Service Chief, he claimed this information became intelligence at 4.02pm on the 20th of April 2019. When questioned as to why it took so long to be classified as intelligence, Nilantha Jayawardene had reportedly claimed the Indian intelligence officer who had previously informed him on the 4th of April regarding possible attacks had contacted him over WhatsApp with additional information.
He said Jayawardene admitted to not conducting investigations regarding the matter from the 4th of April to the 20th of April. When questioned why the matter was not brought up during meetings of the committee on national intelligence, the former head of the Intelligence Service claimed he had requested Chief of National Intelligence Sisira Mendis to address the issue although it was his duty.
Mohan Weerakoon PC further stated that Jayawardene claimed had he acted on the intelligence received resulting in a curfew being imposed; he would have lost his job if an attack had not taken place. Mohan Weerakoon PC stated, 250 lives were lost and over 500 injured because of the negligence of one officer.
Attending the briefing, U.R. De Silva PC stated the 12 Petitions filed before the Supreme Court related to human rights violations would not be an obstacle to filing a case against Former Chief of State Intelligence Nilantha Jayawardene for negligence of duties. He said there was a clear distinction between criminal and civil court cases adding that if it was ruled by the Civil court case that Jayawardene was guilty of the charge of neglecting his duties; it would not directly affect the criminal lawsuit against him.
He said in the instance the Supreme Court questioned as to why a lawsuit was not filed against Nilantha Jayawardene despite the overwhelming evidence against him; the Inspector General of Police was to be held accountable on behalf of the government.
