The final report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the Easter Sunday attacks was handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by the Chairman of the Commission Supreme Court judge Janak de Silva at the Presidential Secretariat today (01).
The first and second interim reports were handed over to President on December 20, 2019 and on March 02, 2020 respectively.
Former President Maithripala Sirisena appointed the Commission of Inquiry on September 22, 2019 to investigate and report on the series of terrorist attacks on Easter Sunday and to recommend necessary action based on the findings.
08 suicide terrorists carried out deadly attacks on April 21, 2019 targeting hotels and Catholic churches. They exploded bombs at St. Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade, St. Sebastian Church in Katuwapitiya, Zion Church in Batticaloa and hotels Shangri-La , the Kingsbury and Cinnamon Grand Colombo. Two terrorists killed themselves by detonating bombs in Dematagoda and Dehiwala.
The series of attacks cost 270 lives and injured around 500.
The Commission recorded evidence from 457 people over a period of 214 days. Among them were members of the political authority and the security services, as well as those affected by the carnage and related activities.
The Report comprises 472 pages, 215 annexures and 06 volumes.
Secretary to the President P. B. Jayasundera, Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga, other members of the Commission Court of Appeal judge Nishshanka Bandula Karunaratne, retired Supreme Court judges Nihal Sunil Rajapaksha and A. L. Bandula Kumara Atapattu, former Secretary to the Ministry of Justice W. M. M. R. Adhikari, Secretary to the Commission H. M. P. Buwaneka Herath were also present on the occasion.
