Increase fines imposed on criminals found guilty of crimes!

It is a known fact that fines imposed on criminals accused of crimes are so petty in nature that some are indeed laughable amounts. Some statutes indicate fines as negligible as Rs. 5 while some extend to Rs. 500,000 or more. The limits of fines (decided by the magistrate depending on the case) should be increased to ensure that perpetrators have some kind of fear towards the law. Today, someone can kill another person in broad daylight and after being in custody they are sometimes released on sureties and bail. This trend should be discouraged so that anybody who intends to violate the law or aid and abet someone who plans to violate the law would at least have a second thought.  People also need to be given more awareness regarding the mandatory laws including the Constitution. They need to be aware of their fundamental rights. This is why women who are victims of sexual abuse for instance are reluctant to voice out about the harassment and emotional trauma that they had endured. Sri Lanka has taken snail-paced efforts in terms of reparations and those affected by the atrocities during the armed conflict and insurrections are still in the dark. Their demands for justice have gone unanswered for decades. Therefore, rather than putting all their energy on rounding up monkeys, the government certainly has other matters to prioritise!

A concerned citizen