AG directs IGP to reduce prisoner numbers

Wednesday, 2 December 2020 02:07 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Attorney General (AG) Dappula de Livera yesterday directed the Inspector General of the Police (IGP) to prepare a new mechanism to ensure suspects held in custody on drug related charges are prosecuted under the guidelines issued by him.

A new mechanism to charge suspects detained on drug related charges are to be finalised by tomorrow and is expected to be implemented by the Police from next week.

The new mechanism is aimed at granting bail for suspects remanded on lesser charges related to drug possession.

The move comes in the wake of a request by Justice Minister Ali Sabry PC to the AG, seeking to reduce overcrowding at prisons. Sabry had requested that the AG consider taking legal action against inmates taken in to custody on drug related charges under Article 78.5 of the Act No. 13 of 1984 also known as the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act, instead of Article 54 (a) of the same Act, Attorney General’s Coordinating Secretary State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said.

De Livera met with Principal Advisor to the Ministry of Justice U.R. de Silva PC, DIG Ajith Rohana and SSP Nuwan Gunasekara yesterday to discuss options with regard to the request by the Justice Minister.

The AG had found that instruction by him to the Police Department on charging suspects in drug related crimes had not been implemented effectively.