Former Prisons Chief reveals key factor behind Negombo Prison clash

A pre-existing perception about inmates was a key factor that led to the escalation of the incident at the Negombo Prison, the former Commissioner General of Prisons, Jagath Weerasinghe stated.Speaking during the Ada Derana ‘Big Focus’ programme regarding the clash at the Negombo Prison recently, Weerasinghe said prison officials had made a serious error by entering the facility without adequate precautions after placing trust in the inmates.He said two inmates had died on June 5 due to an internal dispute, but the information had not been effectively communicated to prison officers. The following morning, a group of officers had entered the prison premises without weapons, he added."The biggest issue was the perception held about the inmates," Weerasinghe said.He said that during his nearly 38 years of service in the prison department, he had never trusted inmates under any circumstances.The former Commissioner General of Prisons noted the officers had made a serious mistake by entering the prison based on their trust in the inmates.He also highlighted the strain on prison management, stating that around 5,500 officers are currently responsible for overseeing approximately 43,000 inmates.