Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara has expressed profound sorrow over the violent incident at Negombo Prison, saying he accepts responsibility as the prison falls under the Ministry of Justice.
Speaking to the media today (06), the Minister said the situation inside the prison has been brought under control, but emphasized that the loss of life is unacceptable and every effort must be made to prevent similar incidents in the future.
According to the Minister, the confrontation occurred between two organised groups of inmates, while prison authorities intervened to restore order.
Expressing condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, he said the priority is to conduct a thorough investigation, determine the circumstances that led to the violence, and introduce measures to avoid a repeat of such incidents.
Minister Nanayakkara stated that the focus should be on identifying any shortcomings or failures in the system rather than assigning blame.
He further noted that authorities will examine whether any misconduct or negligence contributed to the incident and take prompt corrective action where necessary.
The Minister stressed that while prison disturbances may occur, the loss of human life cannot be justified, adding that a comprehensive investigation will be carried out to establish the facts surrounding the incident.
