Three senior DIGs, including Nilantha Jayawardena, L.S. Pathinayake, Deshabandu Tennakoon, and seven other senior officers are poised to face charges for failing to prevent the attack on the Easter Sunday of April 2019.
Charge sheets will be handed over in line with the recommendations made by the Special Presidential Commission appointed to probe the attack.
Accordingly, charges will be filed against eleven senior officers.
The Attorney General had directed the Police to delay framing charges until the disposal of the Fundamental Rights cases filed against former President Maithripala Sirisena, former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former Inspector General of Police Pujitha Jayasundara, and former director of the SIS Nilantha Jayawardena.
Four of the 11 officers have retired by now.
The police headquarters said that as soon as the Attorney General advises, the charge sheets will be handed over to 07 officers, including Nilantha Jayawardena, LS Patinayake, and Deshabandu Tennakoon, who are currently in service.
Sources at the police headquarters point out that the hierarchical arrangement of the Sri Lanka Police will be seriously disrupted as an officer charged with a criminal offence will be disqualified from holding any position, and accordingly, a complicated situation will arise again on the succession process as to who will be appointed after the Inspector General of Police retires in March.
