Delayed prosecutions lead to more crimes

CCTV footage of two motorcycle gunmen killing a 30-year old employee at a medical centre in Kottawa on Wednesday morning

Three people were killed in two separate shootings within a span of 24 hours on June 21 and 22. On Tuesday (21) morning, a 42-year old individual was shot dead in Iddaruwa, Kosgoda. According to police, two unidentified gunmen have opened fire at the victim identified as Vijith alias ‘Ran Mahaththaya’ and had subsequently fled the area. The Kosgoda Police is conducting further investigations. On Tuesday night, a 46-year old individual was shot dead at his residence in Niyandagala, Homagama. The Police media division said that a group of unidentified gunmen have stormed into his house and have subsequently shot the victim. The injured person had succumbed to injuries upon admission to the Homagama hospital. On Wednesday (22) morning, two unidentified gunmen stormed into a medical centre in Kottawa and had opened fire at an individual. The 30-year old employee succumbed to injuries upon admission to the Homagama hospital. On Wednesday night, a retired police officer had opened fire at three individuals in Yahalmulla, Walasmulla following a dispute over laying a water pipe in a private land. Three members in the same family between ages 28 and 65 had sustained injuries and were admitted to the Walasmulla hospital. The suspect was arrested by police.   

Spike in locally manufactured weapons

According to the Police media division, 40 incidents of shootings and 23 deaths have been reported during the first six months of 2023. Apart from that around 20 individuals have

sustained injuries during these incidents. Police media spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa opined that most shooting incidents are acts of revenge. “Many of these people are involved in drugs and organized crimes but a handful cases are personal issues between families. Most of these incidents happen in rural areas. However, we have observed that automatic weapons are being used by organised criminals. Sometimes they divide once information is leaked or due to various other reasons and ultimately shoot each other.”  

Thalduwa further said that most weapons have been manufactured locally. “We take many weapons into custody on a daily basis and these locally made weapons are manufactured everyday. We recently arrested two individuals in Kalutara who were engaged in manufacturing weapons. Nowadays, anybody who can read English can manufacture a weapon with the help of the internet.”  

He further said that the only way to curb this menace is to keep a suspect in custody until his case is over. “There were two guys at the Mulleriyawa Police; one of them had 28 cases filed against him and the other person had eight cases. In most cases, the suspects are arrested and subsequently they get bail,” Thalduwa further said.   

Delayed prosecutions 

When inquired, former additional solicitor general RienzieArsecularatne PC observed many reasons for the spike in the rate of crimes in Sri Lanka at present. “One reason could be the delay in prosecuting. People go into a sort of bail and they get into a state of complacency. Then the effect of the law on the crime is not felt.”  
He added that the prevailing economic crisis and political patronage given to the underworld could be other reasons why shooting incidents happen in broad daylight. “There are cases languishing in the Attorney General’s Department for many years. I have a file that was opened in 2012 and still there has been no progress whatsoever. Recently they handed over an indictment for an offense that was committed in 2004. So what is the message that you give to the society?” Arsecularatne questioned.   

Legal experts also opine that several policy level changes including a law to apprehend perpetrators of organized crimes need to be introduced to curb this menace. On the other hand, effective handling of a case and an effective supervision is required to bring perpetrators before the law.   
Several attempts to contact Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam to inquire as to why many cases are still pending without indictments proved futile.