AG’s Department Legal Officers’ Association opposes proposal to establish separate Public Prosecutions Office

16 November 2025 02:38 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 7 Bookmark

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Colombo, Nov. 16 (Daily Mirror) - The Legal Officers' Association of the Attorney General’s Department has formally opposed the proposed establishment of an Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, asserting that such a move would undermine the department’s independence, efficiency and professional standards.

At a special general meeting held on November 14, 2025, the Association unanimously adopted a resolution emphasising that while it fully supports measures aimed at enhancing independence, transparency and efficiency within the Attorney General’s Department, it strongly rejects the creation of a separate prosecutorial office.

According to the resolution, the Association observed that steps are being taken to consider an Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, purportedly to improve independence and transparency and to expedite the criminal justice process. However, the members stated that no empirical or scientific evidence has been presented to justify that separating the prosecutorial function from the department would achieve such goals.

The Association further stressed that independence and transparency must apply not only to prosecutions but also to all other functions of the Attorney General’s Department, including its Civil Division.

It warned that dividing the department could instead erode independence, diminish professional standards and contribute to operational inefficiencies.

The resolution concluded that the proposed separation would be “unreasonable, arbitrary, devoid of any rational basis or merit and ultimately be counter-productive,” while reaffirming the Association’s commitment to supporting internal reforms designed to strengthen the department’s operations.

Comments - 7

roobarbie Sunday, 16 November 2025 03:48 PM

AG's department still harbours agents of the previous corrupt governments that may be sabotaging the current government's efforts to bring to books those MPs, Ministers and government officials, businessmen that had been engaged on corrupt activities. DPP may be a good way to streamline and speed up prosecutions and to handle the increasing number of cases that would be heard at the newly established additional high courts. I do not think there is an issue of reduction of jobs, given that DPP would certainly generate a demand for more skilled lawyers to operate it.

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Ravi Sunday, 16 November 2025 04:31 PM

Good move by the government but these officials are opposed to it simply because they would be loosing power. We need a strong Director of Prosecution independent from Attorney General.

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Chris Peries Sunday, 16 November 2025 08:24 PM

There have been many cases of arbitrary prosecution to please the powers that be. Even the huge backlog of cases in the courts is due to cases being filed without actual merit sans concrete evidence. Moreover, the conviction ratios against cases filed is abysmal. Its quite appropriate to have an independent prosecutor so that work can be streamlined

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lion Monday, 17 November 2025 05:14 AM

The move of the government is well come as some of the officers in the A G s department are cronies of the previous governments. They still furnish their masters with all what is happening in A G s department concerning their court cases. Government should expedite this move.

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Realistica Adams Monday, 17 November 2025 06:23 AM

It’s an election commitment by the government. AG officers can have a view but the people’s view supersedes that. The government has been elected to deliver its manifesto, so get on with it quickly, we are waiting for it to happen.

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Chis Xavier Monday, 17 November 2025 07:00 AM

The Director of Public Prosecutions should be separate from the Attorney General to ensure that prosecutorial decisions are made independently of the government. This separation is crucial because the DPP's role is to prosecute criminal cases in the public interest, whereas the Attorney General's duties include providing legal advice to the government and representing it in legal matters. This is the rational basis why the two institutions should be kept separate. In most developed countries the DPP and the AG are kept separate.

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Kumar Monday, 17 November 2025 08:30 AM

A separate ppo is not necessary if AG.s office have acted professionally, Knowledgeably and honestly. There may be capable officers but they have not prevented the inefficient and corrupt practices of some and sadly have to be grouped together. Further by accepting promotions to the superior courts they have compromised the independence of the Judiciary. I read a lorry load of indictment was served on immunoglobulin issue ensuring the culprits can drag till released by a subsequent Government, while prosecuting obvious innocent.

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