OVER 118 PRISONERS ESCAPED FROM PRISON IN 2016: REPORT

More than 118 prisoners have escaped from local prisons around the country last year, the annual report of the Department of Prisons had revealed. Out of this 27 were inmates who had managed to escape from the Welikada Prison.

As many as 43 prisoners had escaped while they were engaged in ‘shramadanas’ and while doing hard labour outside the prison premises. At least 13 had escaped by jumping out of prison, two had escaped while receiving treatment in hospital, two while they were in court and 39 while working in camps. In addition 17 had not returned back after being allowed to go home on leave.

Out of the 118 prisoners that had escaped 30 had been in remand prison while the rest have been convicts. It was also noted that 77 of those who escaped had been recaptured. There are a total of 118, 935 inmates in prisons across Sri Lanka.

The report also highlights the fact that prohibited items had been discovered in prison cells on 117 occasions last year alone with narcotics such as heroin and cocaine among the drugs being found by the authorities.

Out of the 118 prisoners that had escaped 30 had been in remand prison while the rest have been convicts.