Prisons chief post stays vacant pending probe into former commissioner general

An ongoing investigation into the former Commissioner General of Prisons is the reason the post has not been filled permanently, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said on Tuesday.

Responding to a question at the weekly Cabinet media briefing, Dr. Jayatissa said a permanent appointment cannot be made while the inquiry into the former officeholder remains open. An officer has been appointed in an acting capacity to carry the responsibilities of the position in the meantime.

Outcome depends on the inquiry

The minister said the course of action would be decided once the investigation concludes. If the former Commissioner General is found guilty, a new appointment would be made permanently; if he is cleared of the allegations, there would be a possibility of reinstating him.

“An investigation is currently being conducted regarding the former Commissioner General of Prisons,” Dr. Jayatissa said. “While an investigation is underway, an acting official is appointed until a final decision is made. Once the investigation is completed, we can decide whether to reinstate him or appoint a new Commissioner General if he is found guilty.”

Neither the identity of the former Commissioner General nor the nature of the allegations was set out at the briefing.

A vacancy raised during the prison unrest

Prasad Hemantha has been serving as Acting Commissioner General of Prisons, and has fronted the department’s public statements through a difficult period for the prison system — including the Mahara Prison unrest at the start of August and the department’s account of overcrowding across the estate, where roughly 39,000 inmates are held.

The vacancy became a political issue during the Mahara unrest, when Namal Rajapaksa asked why the Department of Prisons was still operating without a permanent chief. “Even today, the Department of Prisons continues without a permanently appointed Commissioner General, despite the crisis unfolding before us,” he said at the time.

Tuesday’s briefing is the government’s first substantive explanation of the delay.