The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCOI) probing the Easter Sunday terror attack in Sri Lanka has ordered security for the General Secretary of the now-defunct Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, after he gave evidence at a hearing yesterday (18).
Commission Chair Justice Janak de Silva issued the order to the National Authority for Protection of Victims of Crimes and Witnesses (NAVCW) on the understanding that the Thera’s life could be in danger after he provided information and evidence at the hearing.
The Appeals Court Judge had also reportedly told the Thera that the commission had received a number of complaints against the manner in which the BBS behaved on several occasions.
“I raised this matter so as to provide a proper perspective to the testimony,” Justice de Silva has reportedly said.
It was the third day Ven. Gnanasara Thera appeared before the commission.
The PCOI into the Easter Sunday terror attacks was appointed on September 21, 2019 by former President Maithripala Sirisena. On December 19, the Commission handed its first interim report to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, followed by a second interim report on March 2, 2020.
The final report will be compiled after further investigations.