Secretary JSC replies Birnbaum
COLOMBO: The Judicial Service Commission has hit out at
remarks made by Michael Birnbaum of the International Commission of
Jurists regarding the ‘substitution’ of a Magistrate during the inquest
into the Muttur Massacre, charging the latter with being totally
misinformed about the circumstances with regard to the matter and the
applicable law as to an inquest.
In a hard hitting response Secretary Judicial Service Commission
P.W.D.C. Jayathilaka states:
The Chief Justice being the Chairman of the Judicial Service
Commission has with the consultation of the Judges of the Supreme Court
being members of the Commission requested me to issue this statement
with regard to the news item appeared in the “Island” newspaper of March
10, 2007, on page 2 under the heading -
“Muttur massacre of 17 aid workers -
Substitution of Magistrates unlawful - Birnbaum”.
The news item contains what was said by Micheal Birnbaum of the
International Commission of Jurists at an “Informal meeting” with media
representatives in Colombo on the Friday last.
Birnbaum had stated that the action of the Judicial Service
Commission in “substituting” another Magistrate when the inquest into
the killing of 17 persons in Muttur was proceeding was “unlawful under
Sri Lankan Law”, “without justification” and “improper”.
He has further stated that such an appointment is virtually
unprecedented and that “the worse thing was the way it was done might
well undermine the confidence of the Tamil minority in the system of
justice.”
The Judicial Service Commission wishes to specifically state that
Birnbaum has been totally misinformed about the circumstances with
regard to the matter and the applicable law as to an Inquest.
Before making such serious allegations of racial bias, unlawful,
unjustified and improper action against the constitutionally established
authority in this country to preserve and uphold the independence of the
judiciary, Birnbaum, who claims as an international jurist should have
had the elementary courtesy and the common sense to check on the true
circumstances from the judicial Service Commission.
He has failed to do so and has acted in violation of the
constitutional safeguards to preserve the independence of the Judicial
Service Commission.
In view of the baseless, misleading and highly damaging statements
that have been made, this comprehensive statement as to the
circumstances in which action was taken by the Commission under the
applicable law is being issued.
With the outbreak of fighting in the Muttur area the Judicial Service
Commission was informed that the Magistrate, Muttur, and the other Court
officials were affected. It was not possible to contact them by
telephone.
Being concerned about the safety of the Magistrate and the officials
the Chief Justice contacted a high official of the Sri Lanka Red Cross
Society who was leading a team of relief workers to the Muttur area and
requested him to trace the whereabouts of the Magistrate in particular,
if necessary with the assistance of the ICRC.
Pursuant to this request the Magistrate was traced and the Chief
Justice spoke to him over the telephone and requested him to return to
his family in Colombo, forthwith.
It was decided to take this course of action since the Magistrate
having been caught up in the fighting was not in a fit state to continue
with his judicial work in that area. In any event the conditions in
Muttur were not in any way conductive to hold a Court there at that
time.
In the meanwhile the killing of the 17 aid workers was reported by
the Police to the Magistrate Trincomalee. On 7th August 2006 the
Magistrate, Trincomalee directed that post mortem examinations be done
by the Medical Officer and on 8th August 2006, he permitted the burial
of the bodies.
Thereafter he had referred the record to the Magistrate, Muttur who
had been then staying in Trincomalee. The Magistrate, Muttur had only
recorded the statements of the persons who identified the bodies at the
time post mortem examination. These persons did not have any information
as to the circumstances in which the killings were done.
No decision had been made as required by Section 370 (1) of the Code
of Criminal Procedure Act No. 15 of 1979 as to the cause of death.
The delay in recording a decision as to the cause of death and
thereby concluding the inquest had been brought to the notice of the
Secretary to the Inter Ministerial Committee of Human Rights who is also
the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice at a discussion held at the
Ministry of Human Rights, by the Ambassadors of France and Australia who
expressed concern regarding this matter and offered technical
assistance.
The Criminal Investigation Department had also informed the Secretary
that the Magistrate, Muttur who was caught up in the fighting would have
vital information as to the actual sequence of events in the Muttur area
during the relevant time which would be useful for the investigation.
These matters were brought to the notice of the Chief Justice by the
Secretary.
The Judicial Service Commission considered the matters raised by the
Secretary and considering the fact that it had already been decided to
appoint the Magistrate Muttur to another station due to the trauma that
he had undergone, the Magistrate of Anuradhapura was appointed to
complete the inquest.
At that point of time only the persons who identified the bodies at
the post mortem examination who were not witnesses to the incident had
given evidence.
The Magistrate Anuradhapura, who was appointed for this purpose
allowed the applications made by the relatives and the CID to exhume the
bodies and detailed postmortem and ballastics examinations were carried
out.
The evidence of these examinations have been recorded over a period
of time. Interested persons had made applications before the Magistrate
to lead evidence of other persons who could shed useful information as
to the circumstances in which the deaths occurred.
Although three postponements were granted for this purpose no
information was forthcoming.
The Magistrate concluded the Inquest by recording that the deaths
were caused by rifle gun shots in the early hours of the morning of the
4th of August 2006. The CID has been directed to carry out further
investigations and report matters to the Magistrate’s Court.
Birnbaum, who has made rash allegations of unlawful action on the
part of the Judicial Service Commission is totally ignorant of the Sri
Lankan law with regard to the ambit of Inquest.
In terms of Section 370 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act No.
15 of 1979 an Inquest is generally done by an Inquirer who is not a
judicial officer but an official appointed by the Ministry of Justice. A
Magistrate is also empowered to carry out an Inquest.
The purpose of such Inquest is only to record the opinion of the
inquirer with regard to the cause of death, and note the marks and
injuries found on the body and the manner in which they appear to have
been inflicted.
The Judgement of the Supreme Court in the case of Seneviratne vs
Attorney General - reported in 71 NLR page 439, has dealt with the
relevant sections and held that “the functions of a Magistrate or an
Inquirer holding an inquest of death are of a non-judicial character (at
page 447).
It was also held by the Supreme Court that the law in England with
regard to a Coroner’s Court is not applicable in Sri Lanka and that
“there is no power in an inquirer or Magistrate to pronounce any
“verdict”, his duty is only to record a finding of the cause of death;
the finding by itself by itself does not automatically initiate any
legal proceedings as an “inquisition” of a Coroner’s Court in England.”
Considering the scope of an inquest under our law, at times inquest
that are commenced by Inquirers, being administrative officers are
concluded by Magistrates and at times Magistrates request Inquirers to
conclude inquests commenced by them.
In this instance the original order for burial had been made by the
Magistrate, Trincomalee and the subsequent opinion as to the cause of
death has been expressed by the Magistrate Anuradhapura after the
exhumation of the bodies.
Secretary, Ministry of Justice, has spoken to the Magistrate Muttur
who had been a colleague of his in the Attorney General’s Department, in
view of the concerns expressed by the two Ambassadors referred to above
and the matter brought to his notice by the CID, in his capacity as
Secretary to the Inter Ministerial Committee on Human Rights. His
intention was not to interfere in a judicial proceeding as erroneously
inferred by Birnbaum.
Birnbaum’s reckless allegations of unlawful and unjustified action on
the part of the Judicial Service Commission may have resulted form his
being misinformed of the facts and from ignorance of Sri Lankan Law.
It is now a common occurrence for persons who come from outside to
judge and pontify on the action of lawfully established authorities in
this country.
It may be the lot of Sri Lankan authorities to suffer such insolence
at hands of ignorant and arrogant persons who lack even the basic
courtesy of even checking up on the facts with the relevant authorities.
However, what is reprehensible and inexcusable is his endeavour to
insinuate racial bias on the part of the Judicial Service Commission.
He has conjured a racial twist by unnecessarily describing the
Magistrate Muttur as being a Tamil and stating very directly that the
“worse thing was, the way it was done might well undermine the
confidence of the Tamil minority in the system of justice.
The Judicial Service Commission has established courts throughout in
the Northern and Eastern Provinces, except in two stations.
Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala Judges and officials function in these
courts and there has not been even a hint of racial bias, on the part of
the Commission.
It is a fact that over the years external interference has aggravated
the “ethnic conflict” in this country. Birnbaum is insidiously
endeavouring to open out another dimension to his conflict relating to
the Judiciary.
In the circumstances he is firmly warned that if he persists in this
line of conduct, action would have to be taken against him as provided
by the Constitution and the law to safeguard the independence and
dignity of the judicial institutions in this country.
P. W. D. C. Jayathilake, Secretary,Judicial Service
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