CCD ordered to accelerate investigations on prison riot

By T. Farook Thajudeen

The Colombo Chief Magistrate yesterday ordered the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) to accelerate investigations into the riot that took place at the Magazine Prison Borella on 25 January causing a damage of over Rs. 4.7 million to the prison property, in order to take appropriate action against the 59 suspects who are in remand.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Rashmi Singappuli made this direction on the CCD on considering the submissions made by the counsel for the suspects.

At the onset of the Magisterial  inquiry IP Hettiarachchi of the CCD filing a report in court submitted that the Division is presently viewing the visuals that was taken by the media in order to clearly identify the actual persons involved in the incident and following the identification the CCD will process  the extracts to take further action.

Counsel Prasad Silva appearing for a suspect submitted that since the CCD is having the video recordings they could easily identify the persons involved in the riot. He said however the CCD had delayed investigations for three months unnecessarily putting the suspects in much difficulty.

Counsel Chandra Liyanaarachchi submitted that the persons involved in the riot are all inmates of the prisons. Non from outside were involved thus among the 59 suspects, some were to leave the prison on bail and others released after undergoing jail terms. When the incident happened, they too had run for their lives as shooting took place, hence being made suspects. Counsel Dinesh Godagama complained that on the last date of the inquiry the court had ordered the CCD to record the statements of the suspects individually and to carry out investigations on that basis, which had not been initiated.

Counsel Aruna Ihalavithana and Ananda Jayasundera complained that their clients who had received gun shot injuries had not been properly treated and to order the prison authorities to look into providing treatment. When the names were called out it was noted that the same person had been listed twice under two different names. The magistrate ordered the Prisons authorities to rectify the mistakes and to provide treatment for the injured suspects. The suspects were further remanded till 2 May.