President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday said that his Government would not hesitate to introduce Constitutional amendments it considers necessary to combat drug trafficking and crime and build a more peaceful country.
Speaking at an event marking the 160th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Police, the President said the Government had taken steps to strengthen the process of bringing suspects to justice but acknowledged delays between arrests and punishment.
He said Police had carried out a record number of drug raids over the past two years, but arrests would have little impact if legal proceedings and sentencing continued to take too long.
‘Criminals know that punishment is delayed,’ the President said, stressing the need for all institutions involved in the justice process to work more efficiently.
The President acknowledged that Police officers conduct investigations at considerable personal risk. However, he pointed out that by the time investigations are completed, reports are submitted to the Attorney General’s Department, and judicial proceedings are concluded, investigating officers often reach retirement age. He therefore stressed the need to expedite not only investigations but also the judicial process, so that offenders are brought to justice without undue delay.
He also acknowledged that the public has concerns about what happens to seized drugs and suspects following arrests, noting that people expect offenders to receive appropriate punishment through the courts after proper cases are filed.
The President emphasised that delays in the judicial process must be addressed and that all institutions involved in the administration of justice must be strengthened. He noted that failure to impose appropriate punishment for crime within a reasonable period could encourage further criminal activity.
The President said the Government had already introduced laws aimed at improving the process and had decided to make all relevant processes more efficient, adding that the necessary legislation and infrastructure would be provided to achieve this objective.
He reiterated that, if Constitutional amendments were required to protect the public, the country, and the younger generation, the Government would not hesitate to introduce them.
‘We will not hesitate to make the necessary Constitutional amendments,’ he said.
The President assured the Police that the Government was committed to transforming Sri Lanka from a State affected by crime into a peaceful nation.