Finger printing for more offences

Making false allegations, child abuse, offences under the Immigration, Emigration Act, and computer frauds will be among the new offences that require the suspects to be finger printed following the amendments to be introduced to the Prevention of Crimes Ordinance (POCO).

The Cabinet has approved the amendments submitted by the Justice Ministry to amend the POCO to include new crimes to be fingerprinted before trial.

An amendment also provides that when a suspended sentence is imposed on a person convicted of such a crime, in respect of whom a previous conviction is proved, the court may direct that such a person be subject to the supervision of the police until the expiry of the operational period of the sentence.

The Attorney General has in his Certificate stated that the provisions of the draft Bill were not inconsistent with the Constitution and that the Bill was not subject to any prohibitions or restrictions imposed by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and could be presented in Parliament.

Among other offences that require finger printing are -- bribery of judicial officers and Members of Parliament, acceptance of gratification by MPs for interviewing public servants, bribery of police officers, peace officers and other public servants, bribery for giving assistance or using influence on contracts, bribery for procuring withdrawals of tender, bribery in respect of Government business, bribery in connect with payment of claims, appointments employments, grants, leases and other benefits, bribery of public servants by persons having dealings with the government, bribery of a member of a local authority or of scheduled institution or of governing body of scheduled institution, and bribery of an officer or employee of local authority or of scheduled institution, the use of threats or fraud to influence the vote of members of local authorities or of scheduled institutions or of governing bodies of scheduled institutions.

To own or to have owned property deemed under this section to be property acquired by bribery or property to which property acquired by bribery has or had been converted, accepting of gratification to be guilty notwithstanding that purpose not carried out are also new offences that need finger printing under the new amendments. Manipulating a computer to perform a function without lawful authority, illegal interception of data, use of illegal devices, unauthorized disclosure of information enabling access to a service, attempt to commit an offence. conspiring to commit an offence, offences committed under the illicit Traffcking in Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Act are also come under the amendment that requires finger printing. (Sandun A Jayaskera)