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Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2021-01-11
Amendment to the Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crimes and Witnesses Act
- The Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act, No.4 of 2015 provides a host of benefits to victims and witnesses. However, in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 of the Act, a request should be made to the Court of Appeal for bail causing severe inconveniences to the suspects and the accused. In particular, since the Court of Appeal is located in Colombo, the suspects residing in remote areas have had difficulty in filing the bail application, it has been found appropriate to amend the Act by substituting the High Court for the Court of Appeal for the purpose of granting bail to such persons. Further, it has also been identified that it is appropriate to amend the provision that "A suspect shall be placed on remand till the end of the trial in respect of the offence which he had been enlarged on bail" by substituting the phrase "A suspect placed on remand for such period as may be considered reasonable by the court". Accordingly the proposal made by the Minister of Justice to initiate necessary measures to amend the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act, No.04 of 2015, was approved by the Cabinet.