A National Audit Office report has found that 709 of 1,181 prisoners who escaped over six years have not been recaptured, raising public safety concerns alongside issues of contraband smuggling and overcrowding.
Sri Lanka's prison system faces significant security challenges, according to findings in the Department of Prisons' 2025 Annual Report compiled by the National Audit Office. The audit identified 1,181 prisoner escapes over the past six years, with 709 individuals still remaining at large. The National Audit Office has cautioned that the continued freedom of these escaped prisoners represents a potential threat to public security.
Beyond escape issues, the report documents widespread contraband smuggling within correctional facilities. Prison authorities seized over 5,000 mobile phones from 22 prisons during 2025, alongside 2,432 batteries, 970 chargers, 4,149 SIM cards and 3,111 related accessories. The National Audit Office has recommended implementing formal prevention measures, warning that mobile phone availability in prisons could facilitate illegal activities and underworld operations.
Congestion within the prison system has also emerged as a critical concern. The Welikada Prison's Female Ward alone housed 825 inmates during 2025, while Magazine Prison and Colombo Remand Prison face capacity strain, creating difficulties for both staff and detainees. The audit suggests addressing overcrowding through facility improvements at Mahara Prison and Watareka Open Prison Camp, as well as strategic inmate transfers to better distribute the population across the system.
