The Attorney General today gave an undertaking before the Court of Appeal that former Attorney General Dappula de Livera will not be arrested in connection with a statement given to the media in his official capacity as Attorney General.
Additional Solicitor General Parinda Ranasinghe, appearing for the Attorney General, gave this assurance when the writ petition filed by former Attorney General Dappula de Livera challenging the legality of summoning him to record a statement in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks was taken up before the Court of Appeal.
Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal further extended its interim order preventing police from questioning former Attorney General Dappula de Livera with regard to anything done by him in the course of discharging his duties in the capacity of Attorney General until September 12.
In his petition, the former Attorney General stated that he was informed by the Chief Inspector of the Counter Terrorism Investigation Division that they would still require a statement to be recorded from him with regard to the ‘Grand Conspiracy’ referred to by him in his interview given to the media in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks.
The petitioner is of the view that the Attorney General is immune and cannot be questioned over an opinion he made in his official capacity as Attorney General. He further maintained that a statement sought to be obtained from him cannot be obtained from him as an Attorney-at-Law.
In his petition, the former Attorney General stated that the said interview was given as a result of information received by him in his official capacity as Attorney General, and this would be reflected in the documentation or files maintained at the Attorney General’s Department. He maintained that since he had retired as Attorney General, he did not possess files in relation to this matter.
