‘I never told former IGP, he would be given ambassador post’ | Daily News
Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Easter Sunday Attacks

‘I never told former IGP, he would be given ambassador post’

Former President Maithripala Sirisena has said that he never told former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara that he would be given an ambassador post if he resigned from the position of the IGP after taking the responsibility for failing to prevent the Easter attacks.

Testifying before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry Into probe into Easter Sunday Attacks on Wednesday(14), former President Maithripala Sirisena strongly rejected the allegations made against him claiming that information about the terror attacks he received before he went abroad.

"Former IGP Pujith Jayasundara was not invited to the National Security Council (NSC) meetings due to several allegations raised against his behaviour and revealing facts discussed at the NSC meetings," former President Maithripala Sirisena added.

The former President said that he had discussions with former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the middle of 2018 with regard to former IGP Jayasundara's behaviour and the negative effect of it for the country's image and for the National Security.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena said that he had not prohibited the IGP attending the NSC meetings but decided not to invite him.

"IGP Jayasundara was not paying attention about the decisions and matter, which we discussed at the NSC meetings. He was sitting in a corner and checking his mobile phone from the beginning to end. I had personally advised him to pay more attention during the meetings," he added.

Former President said that the former Prime Minister informed him to wait until December 2018 to make a decision regarding Jayasundara's matter.

"I even had discussions with the former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya regarding this matter. However, in December 2018, we decided not to invite former IGP Jayasundara for the NSC meetings. Other than him, we invited former CID SDIG Ravi Seneviratne. Disciplinary inquiries were conducted during the tenure of Minister Ranjith Maddumabandara," he said.