Prison shaken up from death penalty decision!

Prison shaken up from death penalty decision!

News about death penalty being once again introduced after a period of 43 years spreading among prisoners of C3 cell of Chapel ward in Welikada prison ... a big shock has pervaded within the cell concerned, it was reported. It is understood that other prisoners of Chapel ward who were sentenced to death were passing through a period of stress ... virtually gazing into the skies and their behavioural patterns had taken a different turn. Officers say that most of these inmates who were
relaxing watching television have even refrained from taking their meals from yesterday and that some of them had even fainted.

Prison reports say that there are 45 at Welikada prison and several other inmates strictly sentenced to death. According to the statement made by President that death penalty will be carried out on prisoners who were undergoing a death sentence on crimes related to narcotics, a list comprising 18 names was handed over to President in July last year.

Last week about 100 inmates serving the death penalty were all of a sudden transferred to Boossa and Watareka prison from Welikada C3 Chapel ward and the cell concerned was subjected to a reform, passing a hint in advance that the death penalty is to go into action. Even inspection of the gallows was carried out by higher authorities recently and instructions were issued to prepare necessary implements in that connection. In order to fill the two vacancies of hangmen, a one-day workshop was hurriedly launched last 11th with a list of 26 names and scores were prepared, ministry of justice sources revealed. A spokesman of prison headquarters said that names of the two hangmen have still not been officially announced.

It was H.K. Chandradasa alias 'honda papuwa' who was last sent to gallows at Welikada prison and that was on June 23rd, 1976. On the other hand England has protested over the decision of imposing the death penalty by President Maithripala Sirisena after 43 years. What the foreign office in England says is that a deep study has been carried out concerning reports received from Sri Lanka and that if death sentence is enforced by Sri Lanka, it would create great difficulties in tackling legal issues with Sri Lanka. The office further says that regarding the co-operation given in relation to anti-terrorism activities and in drawing policies related to Sri Lanka's security problems and various aspects like that in connection with the technical support offered by England have thus to be taken into consideration.

Prison sources say that the decision of the President would be effected within the next two weeks and that 4 of the last 18 names in the list will be subjected to this punishment, However, who they are has still not been reported.