The Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) in a letter of demand, sent to the Inspector General of Police yesterday (30), threatened to take legal action against the latter if no investigation is commenced into the assault of prisoners by Prison officers at the Angunakolapelessa Prison on 22 November 2018, within five days of the receipt of the letter.
The letter was sent by Chairman of the CPRP, Attorney-at-Law Senaka Perera on behalf of the complainant cum Secretary of the CPRP, Sudesh Nandimal Silva.
The CPRP with Silva as the complainant previously lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on 15 January regarding the incident. “This complaint concerns a severe crime committed within a State institution. The inhumane offence that has been committed violates the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ratified and acceded to by Sri Lanka.
The CID is yet to commence a proper investigation into the complaint and nor have they arrested any suspects and therefore, this complaint must be probed, and all suspects must be arrested and produced before Court,” the letter further stated.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice and Prison Reforms said that the report of the second three-Member Governmental committee (appointed on 17 January) to probe incident, which was due on 25 January, was presently under preparation. The Ministry has currently received the report of the first Governmental committee appointed to probe the incident. The Ministry previously said that further action in this regard would be taken only upon the receipt of both the reports.
