Interim report on Mahara Prison riot handed over to Justice Minister

The investigative committee appointed to inquire into the Mahara Prison riot handed over its interim report to Minister of Justice Ali Sabry today (07).

The five-member committee headed by retired High Court judge Sarojini Kusala Weerawardena handed over its interim report to the minister at the Justice Ministry premises, a short while ago.

Minister Sabry appointed a committee on November 30 to investigate the incident at the Mahara Prison on November 29 and to submit a report with recommendations.

The committee members had visited the prison premises on several occasions last week to record evidence.

The committee also includes Chief Legal advisor to the Ministry of Justice U. R. De Silva, Additional Secretary of the Justice Ministry Rohana Hapugaswatte, DIG Ajith Rohana and former Prisons Commissioner Gamini Jayasinghe.

Additional Secretary to the State Ministry of Prison Reforms and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Nishan Danasinghe was appointed as the secretary of the committee.

The committee was tasked with preparing a report on the facts underlying the incident, the parties responsible, actions to be taken and recommendations to be taken to prevent such incidents.

The committee was expected to submit an interim report within one week and recommendations on short-term and long-term actions within a month.

A total of 11 inmates had died while 106 others and 02 prison officials had sustained injuries during a tense situation at the Mahara Prison on Nov. 29 when a group of inmates had attempted to break out from prison following a conflict with prison officials.

Prison authorities had opened fire to control the situation and a team of Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel were deployed to assist prison authorities.

Subsequently, a massive fire had broken out at the prison when several inmates set fire to the health office, a storage area, and several other places within the prison.