Negombo Prison riot: CID to pursue murder charges against 200 inmates

Glocal
By Editor_1
Sri Lanka's Special Task Force (STF) personnel stand guard outside the Negombo prison near Colombo on Monday (July 6, 2026) following overnight clashes between inmates and guards that killed 26 people, including seven guards, and wounded more than 100 -J. Sujeewakumar/ENCL

COLOMBO – The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is preparing to file murder charges against around 200 inmates suspected of involvement in the deadly violence at Negombo Prison last week, as investigations continue into one of the country’s worst prison riots in recent years.

The clashes, which erupted on July 5 and 6, claimed the lives of 29 people, including eight prison officers and 21 inmates, while more than 100 others were injured.

Senior police investigators said extensive inquiries have identified 13 organized crime figures, including underworld suspects known as ‘Suresh’ and ‘Booru Moona’, as key instigators of the violence.

Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Crime Division, Chandana Kodithuwakku, said multiple CID teams are conducting a comprehensive investigation using video footage recorded inside the prison to identify those directly involved in the killings and assaults.

“Once investigations are completed, all inmates found to have participated in the violence will face prosecution on murder charges,” he said.

Investigators are also probing how several advanced weapons came into the possession of inmates during the unrest. Police have launched a separate inquiry into the distribution of the weapons and are examining firearms and equipment held in the prison armoury.

Authorities said the investigation is also focusing on possible security lapses that enabled the weapons to be accessed during the riots.

The violence has prompted heightened security measures across the country’s prison system, with the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Prisons reviewing conditions at 16 prisons housing inmates linked to organized criminal gangs.

DIG Kodithuwakku also noted that law enforcement agencies had previously seized 10,804 weapons allegedly smuggled into Sri Lanka by organized criminal networks through maritime routes, alongside large quantities of narcotics.

Meanwhile, officials from the Government Analyst’s Department have informed government authorities that the department is facing a severe shortage of personnel, a challenge that could affect the timely processing of forensic evidence linked to major criminal investigations.

In response to chronic prison overcrowding, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said the government is finalizing legislation that would allow individuals arrested for minor offences to be placed under house arrest instead of being remanded in custody. The proposed Bill is expected to be presented to Parliament shortly.

The prison riots have also renewed attention on overcrowding within Sri Lanka’s correctional facilities, with authorities acknowledging that the prison population far exceeds available capacity.

Prisons Department Spokesman A.C. Gajanayake said the department has already provided an initial payment of Rs 500,000 to the families of each prison officer killed in the violence and is working to increase the compensation package to more than Rs 2 million.

He said the Prisons Department had borne the full cost of the funeral arrangements for the deceased officers and was also considering compensation for officers injured during the unrest.

Seven prison officers remain hospitalized following the incident, including three receiving intensive care at the Colombo National Hospital, Gajanayake said.

-ENCL

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