Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara says that a discussion is currently underway with the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) on the provisions of the Contempt of Court, Tribunal, or Institution Act No.8 of 2024. The Minister notes that a committee will be appointed to look into this and that a suitable law will be formulated with the help of the BASL. 

“I take what happened to the suspect, the imprisonment over a phone ringing in court, as a very serious matter. And that is the area that the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is looking into at the moment,” Nanayakkara had told Parliament last week.

The Minister had also noted that several investigations were underway into the death of a suspect in remand custody after he had been sent to prison over a contempt of court charge. 

He had said that the matter had been brought to the attention of the JSC, which was inquiring into the incident, and that a request had also been made from the prison authorities to conduct a probe to ascertain what had happened to the suspect. A final report on the probe is yet to be received, according to the Minister. 

Nanayakkara had further noted that he believed an altercation had occurred between the suspect and fellow inmates, but had refrained from providing further details as an investigation was underway into the matter. “I have brought the matter before the Judicial Service Commission, and I believe the commission will be taking appropriate action in this regard,” he had added.