The Government has moved to reassure the legal fraternity over security concerns, with Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara stating that any lawyer who feels his or her life is under threat can obtain protection through the Ministry of Public Security.
Addressing a special media briefing on Thursday, the Minister strongly condemned the recent shooting in Akuregoda in which a lawyer and his wife were killed, pledging that those responsible would be brought to justice and would not be allowed to evade justice.
However, he dismissed claims that the incident signalled a widespread threat to the legal community, describing assertions that “all lawyers are under death threats” as a slogan created by certain groups, including the opposition.
Shifting focus to broader judicial reforms, the Minister revealed that approximately 1.1 million civil and criminal cases are currently pending before courts countrywide. He attributed the mounting backlog primarily to staff shortages and expressed hope that recruitment gaps would be addressed by March or April.
Nanayakkara emphasised that the responsibility of ensuring offenders are imprisoned does not rest solely with the Justice Ministry, noting that due process must be properly carried out in coordination between the Police Department and the judiciary.
He further disclosed that the Chief Justice has formulated a comprehensive plan to expedite case hearings, with several new courts slated to be established. Among the proposals are five additional courtrooms at the Aluthkade Court Complex aimed at easing congestion in Colombo’s busiest judicial hub.
The Minister also pointed to ongoing digitalisation of court proceedings, stating that the initiative has significantly reduced operational costs. In addition, he said that the auction of metal items following the conclusion of judicial proceedings had generated a profit of Rs. 952 million for the State.
