World News | Top Prison Official Suspended in Sri Lanka for Presidential Pardons Abuse
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. Two senior officials in Sri Lanka, including the Commissioner General of Prisons, were suspended on Monday for allegedly misusing the presidential pardon process to release convicts, the justice ministry said.
Colombo, Jun 9 (PTI) Two senior officials in Sri Lanka, including the Commissioner General of Prisons, were suspended on Monday for allegedly misusing the presidential pardon process to release convicts, the justice ministry said.
Prisons chief Thushara Upuldeniya and Anuradhapura Jail Superintendent Mohan Karunaratne have been accused of wrongdoing in the misuse of presidential pardons.
The Ministry of Justice announced that the Cabinet decided to suspend the services of the two officials and Karunaratne was also arrested and remanded until June 11.
The police's Crime Investigation Department (CID) questioned Upuldeniya on Sunday and Monday.
The developments came after President Anura Kumara Dissanayake ordered the CID to probe the release of a convicted criminal from prison under a purported pardon from him.
Dissanayake said that a list of those to be pardoned did not include a particular convict mentioned by the opposition in Parliament.
According to the police, investigations revealed that convicts ineligible for presidential pardon had been illegally released.
Under Article 34 (1) of the Sri Lankan Constitution, presidents are empowered to grant amnesties to convicts, subject to a strict judicial procedure.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)