Police appoints 3-member committee to collect complaints against Rishad, Hizbullah and Salley

Wednesday, 5 June 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Committee consists of 1 SSP and 2 SPs, complaints handover deadline on 12 June
All complaints will be sent to CID for investigations
CID starts probe to see if any internal negligence took place on Easter Sunday attacks

Police yesterday appointed a three-member committee to collect complaints against former Western Province Governor Azath Salley, former Eastern Province Governor M.L.A. Hizbullah and former Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen.

Issuing a recorded statement, Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said two Superintendents of Police had been appointed to the committee and it would be headed by a Senior Superintendent of Police. The committee has been established at Police Headquarters.

Complaints can be handed over to the Police Headquarters from Tuesday to 12 June between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

“We kindly request the public to hand over the complaints in writing and also to hand over written documents or evidence that can substantiate these complaints,” he said.

Following a preliminary investigation by the committee all complains will be sent to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for further investigations.

Meanwhile, the CID informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court through a ‘B Report’ on Tuesday that an investigation had begun into alleged negligence by officials who may have had prior information of the Easter Sunday attacks.

Gunasekara said an investigation had been launched into allegations that top CID officials had prior knowledge of the attacks and failed to act on them.

“An investigation is being carried out based on the interim report of the Presidential Committee appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena to investigate the Easter Sunday attacks,” he said.

Azath Salley and M.L.A. Hizbullah tendered their resignations to President Maithripala Sirisena on Monday just hours before Rishad Bathiudeen also stepped down from his post along with eight other Muslim Government leaders. The Muslim leaders said they resigned to allow an impartial investigation into the Easter Sunday attack.