Kenova has released a statement following the announcement by the Director of Public Prosecutions that decisions not to prosecute have been issued against four individuals regarding the issue of perjury and related matters, which were investigated by Operation Kenova.
Former Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, who is leading the investigation, said: "This is the first decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions on a number of files submitted by Operation Kenova. The challenges of bringing a prosecution for Northern Ireland legacy cases, both from a legal and practical perspective, are well-known and have been described in my evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee. Today’s decision and such challenges does not mean that prosecutions are out of reach however, and we await the remaining decisions with keen interest.
"Most importantly, at the outset of Operation Kenova I made commitments to provide families with our findings as to what happened in their individual cases and to deliver a public-facing report. These two key commitments remain at the forefront of our endeavours.
"Legacy should not be judged simply through the prism of prosecutions, it must be considered as a process which provides the truth to those families who have lost loved ones."
Operation Kenova has submitted a number of files relating to its Terms of Reference including murder, false imprisonment and assault, these remain with the PPS for consideration.
Full details of the decision are available on the Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland website