Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini will not appear at CID, due to FR with Supreme Court

by Amani Nilar 03-11-2021 | 12:28 PM

COLOMBO (News 1st); Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando, has informed the Criminal Investigations Department that he cannot appear at the CID today as a fundamental rights application was filed in the Supreme Court.

Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando, a member of the National Catholic Committee for Justice to Easter Sunday Attack Victims, was informed to appear before the CID at 9.30 am today to record a statement.

The Director-General of the State Intelligence Service Major General Suresh Salley filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department on 25th October 2021 against multiple malicious statements made in reference to him, with regard to the 2019 Easter Attacks, by Reverend Father Cyril Gamini Fernando, at an online forum on the 23rd of October 2021.

Thereafter, the CID had informed Rev. Fr. Cyril that an investigation was launched into the complaint as per Article 3(1) & 3(2) of the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR) Act No 56 of 2007 and several other Articles in the Penal Code.

The CID informed Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini to be present at the CID premises on the 28th of October to record a statement, to which the Rev. Fr. said he requires a week's time to respond.

Accordingly, the CID had informed him to be present at 9:30 AM today to record the statement.

However, through a letter via his Attorney, Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando informed the CID that he could not appear at the CID as a fundamental rights application was filed with the Supreme Court, and it will be taken up in the coming days.

Reverend Father Cyril Gamini Fernando filed a Fundamental Rights application with the Supreme Court on Tuesday (2) seeking an order to prevent any attempt being made by the Criminal Investigations Department to arrest him, after summoning him to the CID to record a statement.

Reverend Father Cyril Gamini Fernando had requested in his application that the Supreme Court issue an order on the IGP, CID, and other officials preventing them from arresting him until the examination of the FR application is over.