Why no action against officers who opened fire?

24-Aug-2026

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The Committee for the Protection of Prisoners’ Rights has questioned why no legal action has so far been taken against the officers who allegedly opened fire on prisoners through a small window in the prison gate during the incident at Negombo Prison.

Committee Chairman and Attorney-at-Law Senaka Perera made these remarks while speaking to the media on August 23.

Speaking further, he said:

When the case relating to the Negombo Prison incident was taken up again in court, a serious question arose as to who killed the prisoners who died in the incident.

This is because the majority of the deceased prisoners died of gunshot injuries.

Therefore, we raised several questions before the Honourable Court, including: Who opened fire? Did the prisoners shoot themselves? If not, why have those who opened fire not yet been arrested?

We also raised the question of why no legal action has so far been taken against the officers who opened fire at the prisoners through the small window in the prison gate.

Are they not subject to the criminal law of the country?

We are unable to see any impartiality in the investigations currently being conducted. Our principal request before court was that the law should be properly enforced against those responsible for killing the prisoners.

A large number of relatives of the deceased prisoners were present in court today. We placed their legitimate grievances and demands before the Honourable Court, he said.