The clarification was issued by the Spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Colombo, Reverend Father Cyril Gamini Fernando, during a press briefing held in response to recent statements made in Parliament by Minister Bimal Rathnayake.
Addressing the media, Fr. Cyril Gamini directly rejected assertions linking the Church to the high-profile appointments. "Neither the Cardinal nor the Catholic Church has ever stated or requested that Shani Abeysekara and Ravi Seneviratne be appointed to these positions," the spokesperson emphasized, clearing up ongoing political speculation.
During the briefing, Fr. Cyril Gamini also addressed public discourse surrounding the legal status and assets of Ibrahim Nana, an individual connected to the Easter Sunday attack investigations. Clarifying the judicial process, he noted that the court, not any external entity, granted bail to Ibrahim. He reminded the public that receiving bail does not equate to being acquitted, as the legal proceedings remain active. Furthermore, he clarified that the frozen properties recently released by the court belonged to Ibrahim’s brother rather than Ibrahim himself, following a formal legal request processed entirely through the judicial system.
Commenting on a petition filed by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa seeking to prevent his arrest, the Reverend Father stated that filing such a petition is a recognized legal right, and the public must wait for the court's final verdict on the matter.
Fr. Cyril Gamini warned that the recent surge in misinformation and coordinated smear campaigns serves a darker political motive. He stressed that these false narratives are deliberately orchestrated to obstruct, mislead, and disrupt ongoing investigations aimed at uncovering the complete truth behind the brutal Easter Sunday terror attacks and bringing the true masterminds to justice. The Church concluded the briefing by appealing to the public to remain vigilant and avoid being misled by baseless allegations circulating on social media.
