No room for interference with judiciary - Justice Minister

Lakmini Rodrigo

COLOMBO: No politician or political party is allowed to interfere with the decisions of the courts, Justice and Law Reforms Minister Amarasiri Dodangoda said at the opening of the first High Court within the Welikada prison premises yesterday.

Minister Dodangoda added that this High Court was a need of the nation, and the first step of a national programme to eradicate drugs from the country.

Minister Dodangoda said that the Mahinda Chinthana ran parallel with the procedure, and that the nation could only be saved by having a clear mind and eradicating drugs from the country which was facilitated by the new courts.

He added that the whole country would be victimised by the drug menace if immediate measures like this were not taken to save the younger generation.

According to Minister Dodangoda the main problem affecting the public today is not the ethnic problem but the challenge of a better future for their children.

The opening of the first high court in Sri Lanka within the prison premises will turn a new page in Sri Lankan justice, Justice and Judicial Reforms Deputy Minister Dilan Perera said.

The new high court is mainly expected to handle drug cases, which has become a major threat and spoiling today's society, he said. Emphasising the importance of setting up a high court which would mainly handle drug cases within prison premises, the Deputy Minister said that under the current procedure a long time was taken to solve drug cases, and that the prison officials had to risk their lives to produce the accused drug traffickers in court.

He added that drug traffickers had a high chance of escaping the law due to fear and reluctance of witnesses to come out. Since the cases were handled in various courts in the country, witnesses such as Government Analysts had difficulty in attending the hearings, leading to further delays in court procedure.

Secretary to the Justice and Law Reforms Ministry Suhada Gamlath, Prison Commissioner Rumy Marzook and Deputy Solicitor General Vijith Malalgama were also present.