Committee to probe Avissawella jail break

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

The Ministry of Prisons and Rehabilitation has appointed a committee to probe last week’s jail break at the Avissawella Prisons where 10 prisoners escaped from custody.

The committee will probe the lax security measures that were in place at the time of the jail break at the Avissawella Prisons, Ministry sources told the Sunday Observer.

Three prisoners who escaped from the Avissawella Prison on Thursday after assaulting two prison guards on duty at the Avissawella prisons were arrested by the Kosgama police.

The prisoners had sought refuge in Eswatte North in Puwakpitiya, Police Media spokesman SSP Prishantha Jayakody said. There were several criminal cases pending against the three suspects from Walauwatte, Ranagala and Kaduwela.

Avissawella police have detailed a special police team to arrest the other suspects who had fled to remote areas police said.