Charges may not be filed before April 21 - Justice Minister

Framing charges against suspects is not the duty or the responsibility of the Govt. but the AG

Despte the demand by Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, it is unlikely that charges could be filed before April 21 against whom the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (COI) has levelled the accusing finger for their alleged involvement in the Easter Sunday carnage, Justice Minister Ali Sabry PC, said.

Minister Ali Sabry told the Daily Mirror yesterday that framing charges against suspects was not the duty or the responsibility of the government but the Attorney General.

Investigations have been carried out by the Sri Lanka Police, the CID and the TID. The files of inquiries concluded on the Easter Sunday attack that took place two years ago have been handed to the Attorney General’s Department. Soon after assessing the evidence collected by the police and if the Attorney General is satisfied that there is a prima facie case against any suspect, charges will be framed against him or her. The government must not or should not join in these tasks. Therefore, the ball is in the AG’S court now,” Mr. Sabry stressed.

However, the Government does not want to take politically motivated legal action against suspects, as similar cases filed against political opponents of the Yahapalana government have collapsed, he stressed.

Minister Sabry said a team of 10 senior counsel of the AG’S Department has been appointed to assist the investigations on the Easter Sunday bomb attack and added that the Government was also keen to see legal action being taken against the suspects who have been involved in this crime.