A number of errors in the documents filed by the complainants in the case filed against former IGP Pujith Jayasundara for failing to act to prevent the Easter attack were revealed in court yesterday (19).
Head of the Intelligence Reporting Division of the IGP – Inspector of Police -Nimal Senaratne was summoned to court yesterday to produce the original documents pertaining to 38 intelligence reports submitted by the former head of the State Intelligence Service, Nilantha Jayawardena to the then IGP Pujith Jayasundara, which were marked as evidence of the complaint.
Deputy Solicitor General Dileep Peiris, who is prosecuting the case, told the court that six of the documents he had marked as evidence were not original and that the witness had not brought the originals of one of the documents.
Accordingly, the marking of the relevant documents was initiated by the witness and the court observed that some of the documents were incomplete and there were contradictory documents.
Judge Aditya Patabendi, a member of the three-judge panel, said in open court that the police should send full reports to the court and the Attorney General’s Department when an investigation is carried out. The judge pointed out that there were discrepancies between some of the documents cited as evidence in the case and the original documents, adding that such actions would undermine public confidence in the criminal investigation process.
Also examining the documents filed by the plaintiff, Presiding Judge Namal Balalle stated in open court that the plaintiff should not have filed the case.
Thereafter, the Deputy Solicitor General marked 31 documents before the court and cross-examined them. The witness admitted that Pujith Jayasundara had noted to take appropriate action against the majority of these 31 documents.
The witness also admitted that Pujith Jayasundara had sent relevant notes to the Terrorism Investigation Division, the CID, the Senior DIG in charge of the Eastern Province, and the DIGs in charge of the North-Western and Sabaragamuwa areas to take appropriate action regarding the intelligence reports. It was revealed in court that he had made notes to take necessary action regarding 21 of the documents.
The trial will continue today (20).