Prison Hospital not only for VIPs: Prisons Chief

13 February 2015 02:58 pm

Newly appointed Acting Prisons Commissioner General Rohana Pushpakumara said the fair use of Prisons Hospital facilities would be available for every inmate irrespective of their background and the prison hospital was the privy of VIPs sentenced of remanded for various offences.

Mr. Pushpakumara assumed duties as the Acting Commissioner General of Prisons succeeding former Commissioner General Chandraratne Pallegama who was appointed Commandant of the Civil Defense Force last week.

Mr. Pushpakumara told the Daily Mirror there was a trend at present where high-profiled individuals who were impose a jail sentence or ordered to be remanded sought the refuge in the Prison Hospital.

Most of the VIPs were often directed to the Prison Hospital by the Judges who have remanded or sentenced them following appeals submitted by their attorneys.

“But the same privileges should be provided to regular inmates who are languishing in jail for years while suffering from various illnesses like tuberculosis and blood pressure,” Mr. Pushpakumara said.

He had earlier served as Human Resources Commissioner in the Prisons Department and appointed as the Acting Commissioner General by the Justice Ministry Secretary until Cabinet approves a permanent appointment.