Following the uproar from several parliamentarians in the Committee of Public Enterprise (COPE) that their parliamentary privileges have been breached by disclosing details of phone calls to them from the former director of Perpetual Treasuries Arjun Aloysius, the Presidential Commission inquiring into the Treasury Bond issue assured that telephone records of any MP were obtained or examined.
Issuing a statement the Commission said that various statements made by several persons in the political arena and picked up by media are” based on misconceptions and factually erroneous”.
The Commission clarified that the mobile telephones and other electronic devices used by Arjuna Aloysius and Arjuna Mahendran were examined by the CID and the Attorney General’s Department has considered that ascertaining the identity of the persons receiving the calls is necessary.
However, the contents of any conversations or communications were not obtained and have not been produced in evidence before them, the Commission said.
Full statement of the Commission
- The attention of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Central Bank Bond issue has been drawn to various statements made by several persons in the political arena, which have been published in the media, and which relate to the evidence with regard to telephonic communications between Arjuna Aloysius and several persons including several members of Parliament and also telephonic communication between Arjuna Mahendran and several persons.
- Many of these statements appear to have been made based on misconceptions and are factually erroneous.
We wish to make it clear that, on the orders of the Commission of Inquiry, made in terms of the Provisions of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, the mobile telephones and other electronic devices used by Arjuna Aloysius and Arjuna Mahendran were examined by the CID.
- This examination revealed the telephonic contact and electronic contacts which Aloysius and Mahendran had with a large number of persons.
- The identities of the persons who received ,or, initiated such telephonic and electronic communications, with Aloysius, and, Mahendran were ascertained where the officers of the Hon. Attorney General’s Department who are assisting this Commission of Inquiry considered that doing so was relevant to the mandate issued to this Commission of Inquiry.
This entire process was based on the data found on the mobile telephones and other electronic devices used by Arjuna Aloysius and Arjuna Mahendran and also information provided lawfully by Telecommunication service Providers.
The telephone records of any Member of Parliament were not obtained and were not examined.
- With regard to the evidence led on the last day of proceedings I.e on 16th November 2017 only the dates and times of telephone conversations and electronic communications were produced in evidence.
- The contents of any conversations or communications were not obtained and have not been produced in evidence before us.
It is only this evidence which was presented to the Commission of Inquiry by the officers of the Hon. Attorney General’s Department who are assisting this Commission of Inquiry on 16th November, 2016 I.e 4 days ago.
In the case of Aloysius mobile telephone, some text messages had been extracted several month previously. Those text messages were produced in evidence in August of this year I.e more than 3 months ago.
- The claims that the telephones of several Members of Parliament and other persons have been tapped or recorded in the course of this examination, are utterly false.
- This Commission of Inquiry does not intend to make any further investigations in this regard as we have to terminate the reception of Evidence and will, from now on, engage solely in continuing with the preparation of our Report.
Our mandate does not require this Commission of Inquiry to embark on any such further investigation.
