The Attorney General yesterday informed the Court of Appeal that two special Police teams have been deployed to investigate into the unrecovered swords and other weapons allegedly brought into the country during the Easter Sunday terror attacks.
Senior State Counsel Dr. Awanthi Perera appearing for the Attorney General submitted to Court that two CID special teams headed by an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) had commenced investigations. She added that the investigations will be directly overseen by the Attorney General.
The Senior State Counsel made these remarks when the Writ Petition filed by Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith was taken up before Court of Appeal Justice (President) Arjuna Obeyesekere and Justice Mayadunne Corea.
Meanwhile, President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Jayawardena appearing for the petitioner told Court that the petitioner’s stance regarding the petition will be notified to Court on May 6.
Through this petition, Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith is seeking an order in the nature of a Writ of Mandamus directing the IGP and CID Director to conduct an inquire into the importation of the several consignments of swords and other weapons into the country, as well as the individuals and entities involved in the incident.
The petitioner stated that failure on the part of the respondents has placed in peril the entire nation and the body polity. The petitioner further said the foregoing inaction of the respondents are unreasonable, irrational, and are in patent dereliction of their duties, and furthermore, in violation of the legitimate expectation and rights of the citizenry.
The petitioner further alleged that the respondents have failed to apprehend the persons responsible for importing, supplying, distributing and handing out these consignments.
The Petitioner has cited IGP C.D. Wickremaratne, CID Director Nishantha de Zoysa, Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne and three others as respondents.
The Petitioner states according to information received by him, a company by the name of ‘Sherwood’ (“Samagama”), had imported around 6,000 swords. Of such numbers, 600 swords were purchased by an individual by the name of Mohomed Shifas Saththar, for a sum of Rs. 400,000. The money for the purchase of such swords had been granted by Mohomad Ibrahim Inshaf, the suicide bomber who detonated the bomb at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, during the Easter terror attacks.
The Petitioner states that as per the aforementioned information, such swords, which are of a Chinese make, were distributed among 35 individuals, who have since been arrested, and of whom 13 are Maulawis. The Petitioner states that such information elucidates the fact that 132 swords have been recovered and discovered by the police, and that there are inquiries into the recovery of the remainder of 5,400 swords. The Petitioner states that the logical inference one may draw from the above, is that the Respondents are unaware of the whereabouts of the said 5,400 swords, and that the same are still with the members of the public.
President’s Counsel Sanjeeva Jayawardena with Counsel Rukshan Senadheera appeared for the petitioner Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith. SSC Dr. Awanthi Perera appeared for the Attorney General.
