The Hon. Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Do you believe that those who once acted with impunity under cover of so-called people’s mandates ever thought the ministers who looted would today be in remand custody? Never in their lives, Hon. Presiding Member. Those gangs of thieves operated relying on that. Therefore, given the volume of allegations you mention, we are now approaching this Bill with a sense of responsibility.

¶ 02 What is the core of this Bill? It primarily provides that during investigations or trials, the Magistrate or a Judge of the High Court may authorize contemporaneous audio-visual links to record remote testimony from witnesses. This is a significant and commendable step. It was mentioned in this august House about a shooting incident at court. This new provision gives us the ability to prevent such incidents. Based on audio-visual technology, we can reduce costs and improve time management to a considerable extent. Likewise, by using computer and information technology to collect scientific evidence and conduct rapid analysis, we can make the administration of criminal justice more efficient. The Government’s commitment to this objective is demonstrated through these amendments.

¶ 03 By using technological methods, this Bill will help send those who committed crimes in this country swiftly to prison in an orderly manner. The complaints and cries we now hear will diminish as justice is served efficiently.

¶ 04 There are, at present, 94 special-category prisoners at the Boossa camp. Additionally, there are about 200 high-risk offenders in prisons who require special security during transport. They are being held in prisons across various provinces, including Welikada. Clearly, our purpose today under this Bill is to realize these objectives.

¶ 05 Hon. Chamara Sampath always laments, “I came from Badulla; because of that one case, I had to travel for diesel again and again, and now it’s over a million rupees.” There is no need to lament now. He can testify from there; if the case is proved, he will go to prison. Some say crime-related travel costs are too high—that is exactly the point. Through electronic means he can even view Parliament and appear in court remotely; if convicted, he can go to prison.

¶ 06 Hon. Presiding Member, we see that even the Hon. Minister of Justice would accept this. Our current laws—the Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, and various criminal statutes—show certain deficiencies in addressing organized crime. We are not speaking about how “Beddogama” ended up with someone jailed in a cylinder as in the old story; rather, this is a modern context. Since then, there has been no substantial development in the law. We need a criminal law approach specifically tailored to organized crime.

¶ 07 Therefore, as the Ministry of Public Security, we have presented a Cabinet Memorandum to enable action against organized crime. Under general law, a suspect can only be held for 24 hours, which makes interrogation difficult for investigators. Members of organized criminal gangs need to be kept before investigators for a reasonable period.

¶ 08 The Prevention of Terrorism Act now faces domestic and international criticism. Our party, too, acknowledges that criticism. In that context, it is clear we need a new criminal law addressing organized crime. Therefore, we have submitted a Cabinet Memorandum to refer this to a special committee, to draft and enact a new law in Sri Lanka to prevent crimes committed by organized criminal groups, including shootings causing homicides and injuries.

¶ 09 I remind the people of this country that our Government is accountable to the people’s mandate. We will bring into the open the regulations that were hidden away regarding organized crime. If the law is inadequate in certain areas, we will strengthen it. Hon. Presiding Member, is that not the people’s mandate?

¶ 10 We now witness former Cabinet Ministers ending up behind bars. Our party leader stood here and said, “I can name anyone in that Cabinet and say they are involved in grand corruption.” We have been in power for six months. Who in the Opposition can point a finger and say a minister of this Government engaged in corruption? Is that not the people’s mandate? It was not any other Government that re-established that people’s mandate; it is only our National People’s Power Government that has taken responsibility for it. Therefore, I seek your support to pass this important Amendment Bill. Thank you.