Former Defence Secretary and IGP face criminal charges

A criminal investigation is under way to find out why former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and Police Chief Pujith Jayasundera failed to act on intelligence warnings about the Easter Sunday massacre.

It is headed by a team led by Superintendent of Police J.T.D. Jayasinghe of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The probe comes on the instructions of Attorney General Dappula de Livera.

This is after he studied the interim report of a three-member Committee appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena to probe the string of attacks by IS-backed Muslim extremists and why no action was taken about the warnings. The Sunday Times learns that the committee had made strong strictures on the two top officials.

The Committee is headed by serving Supreme Court Judge Vijith Malalgoda, PC and includes N.K. Illangakoon and Padmasiri Jayamanne, a former Secretary to a number of ministries.

As directed, the Committee handed in its interim report within two weeks. Thereafter, it sought an extension of its term until May 31 to complete the final report.