Negombo Prison declared crime scene, no longer suitable for housing inmates

Colombo, July 9 (Daily Mirror) - The prison authorities determined that the Negombo Prison premises, which were damaged during the recent unrest, were no longer suitable for housing inmates.

The Ministry of Justice and National Integration said that following the violence that unfolded at Negombo Prison on July 5 and 6, 2026, the prison was extensively damaged and officially classified as a crime scene.

"As a result, the majority of detainees were temporarily transferred to other prisons to ensure their safety while allowing investigators to conduct uninterrupted inquiries at the scene," the ministry said.

Earlier, two Extraordinary Gazettes were issued designating the closed Mahamodara Hospital and the Old Bogambara premises as temporary prisons.

The ministry said the premises at Mahamodara and Old Bogambara have been designated as temporary prisons until extensive renovation work at Negombo Prison is completed, following the violent unrest that severely damaged the facility.

The ministry said the emergency transfers have further intensified overcrowding across the country's prison system. To address the increased inmate population and ensure prisoners' welfare, the ministry said that authorities identified the need for additional temporary accommodation.