• GA reports due in 2 months per law reform 

The number of inmates in prisons has declined significantly following measures taken to ease prison overcrowding, Justice Minister, attorney Harshana Nanayakkara stated. According to him, the prison population, which stood at 41,993 as of 1 July, had dropped to 36,925 by 30 September.

He made these remarks while speaking in Parliament yesterday (22). He said that the Government had accelerated the issuance of Government Analyst’s (GA) reports by filling vacancies and strengthening the staff of the relevant Department, addressing delays that had been a major factor contributing to prison overcrowding. He noted that a total of 1,506 GA’s reports had been issued in August and last month (September) alone. 

According to him, proposed legislative amendments will require the GA’s Department to submit the relevant report within two months of receiving an item for analysis. The amendments will also empower magistrates to authorise the prompt destruction of drug consignments, subject to court conditions, rather than requiring the entire consignment to be retained until the conclusion of a case.

 Photographs and, where necessary, video recordings of the consignments will be taken, and the magistrate will be informed before such action is taken. Nanayakkara said that amendments have been brought to the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance to address concerns that seized drugs could leak back into society. 

Officials must photograph seized drugs as originally found, including seals, bags and packaging. GAs will likewise be required to photograph the samples that they receive and submit the photographs to the magistrate with their reports. Only samples will be retained for further investigation. 

Delays in GA reports mean that suspects wait at least a year and a half to be released. Where the net weight of seized drugs does not exceed 100 grams (g), bail can be granted by the High Court in the relevant area. Previously, only the Court of Appeal could grant bail in cases involving drugs weighing more than 10 g.