AAG De Livera has ‘some other questions’ to ask from PM

<< ASG Kodagoda says PTL is a criminal organization

By Shehan Chamika Silva

Acting Attorney General Dappula De Livera at the conclusion of PCoI proceedings said yesterday he would also have some other questions to ask from the Prime Minister apart from the questions put forward by the Commission.

Responding to the statement made by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, Acting Attorney General Dappula De Livera also expressed his observations.

AAG De Livera was of the view that his team of Counsel of the Attorney General’s Department assisted the Commission under Section 23 of the Commission of Inquiry Act and spearheaded the investigation pertaining to the bond inquiry with the concurrence of the Commission, as they always kept the Commission informed about the investigation.

Moving the fact that the Attorney General’s Department had to investigate the matter with limited manpower as there were only three regular CID officers supporting the investigation, AAG De Livera said that the lack of manpower was a significant matter as they had to face numerous difficulties in the investigation process.

“I must place this on record that I have had the fullest cooperation of the entire team of the Attorney General’s Department and this effort would not have been possible if not for the team. So we played as a real team, irrespective of the seniority, all the officers fully cooperated in this endeavor”, AAG De Livera said.

He said despite all odds that they had to face, the Attorney General’s Department officials and the team were able to unearth and present cogent evidence.

AAG De Livera also said that they did not have the cooperation of the all the witness whom they had interviewed during the investigation.

“I think for the team the job is not over, the task is still outstanding and as far as this Commission is concerned our job is still not over. In terms of the evidence that transpired during the proceedings, we have submitted a 20 witnesses list to the Commission dated October 10, 2017 and out of that 20, only some  of the witnesses have now testified before the Commission. 

But still having considered the material we had gathered so far from the interviews with witnesses, these listed witnesses are necessary. The Prime Minister is also listed as a material witness”, AAG De Livera said.

AAG De Livera also said that he would also have some other questions to ask from the Prime Minister apart from the questions put forward to the Prime Minister by the Commission.

He said that the investigation and the interviewing of the individuals will continue in expectation of eliciting new material to the inquiry despite the conclusion of the hearings.

The AAG emphasized the dedication of the officials of the Attorney General’s Department and the officials of the CBSL.

“There were officer who spent 16 hours of 24 hours to this inquiry”, he said.

Additional Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda also concluding the proceedings made a statement thereafter.

ASG Kodagoda said that it was the first time in the history that the Attorney General’s Department able to present data extracted from phone devices to a Commission.

He also stated that the order made by the Commission with regard to the extraction of data would also go down as a good precedent in legal history.

ASG Kodagoda said that the extraction was only possible due to the several experts obtained by the CID, who were not attached to the Commission.

“I must say this. We are continuing this process to unearth some more material, which we hope to present to the Commission if that opportunity will be given by the Commission”, ASG Kodagoda said.

He also said “If we don’t get that opportunity, this would then be a half baked cake. Therefore we would like the President and the General public to receive a fully baked cake in the form of a report. So, please do give us that opportunity of presenting that additional telephone details”

“Several months ago, I said the main corporate entity of Perpetual Treasuries Ltd was a criminal organization. But I was shouted out by some learned counsel when I said it three months ago. As at today, based on the cogent evidence placed before the Commission it is evident that PTL is a criminal organization”, ASG Kodagoda said.