Often we hear repeated calls for the Government to be more transparent, accountable and just. However, faith in the state institutions, especially in law enforcement and in some segments of the judicial process has long been fading, with many Sri Lankans believing that the police is one of the most corrupt organisations in the country.

What becomes of the hundreds of kilogrammes of narcotics taken into custody has been a question which has been on the public’s mind since the end of the war, with the police and the navy intercepting dozens of foreign fishing boats detained over the last ten years. The captured narcotics are often paraded to the media for a good photo opportunity for politicians and top brass and then are lost into the maze of the Government Analyst and court evidence chains. There is a popular belief that the detained narcotics return into circulation. Over the years, a number of police officers and court personnel have been implicated in the pilferage from evidence storage, which is supposed to be secure facilities.

Last week, another startling incident was reported from the south of the island, that a firearm which was held in the evidence storage of the Matara Magistrate Court had been recovered from a crime scene after a murder. Last week, a complaint had been filed with Kotavila Police that a Type-56 rifle, which was held as evidence in an ongoing criminal proceeding from 2016 had gone missing from the Matara Magistrate Court evidence storage. Following an investigation into the missing firearm which was part of State’s evidence, it was found that the same weapon had been used to assassinate a person on 15 August, and had been recovered by the Police again, and is now being held at the Dikwella Police station as evidence of the new murder.

This revelation, has triggered yet another ‘special investigation’ by the police, who are now trying to figure out how a weapon of war which was taken off the streets by them and submitted as evidence in a murder, has found its way back to the streets, only to be linked with another murder. With the Type-56 rifle being found on the streets again, Police and court authorities had done an inventory check at the Matara Magistrates Court evidence storage room, only to find ammunition, a Type-56 magazine and a revolver which was also logged in as evidence, had disappeared. If this is the state of affairs our judicial and law enforcement system currently has to encounter, what type of justice or normalcy can the public expect?

It is learnt that the findings have ‘moved’ law enforcement and judicial authorities to conduct an audit of all firearms, explosives and weapons held in evidence storage in the Southern Province. The public will be in for more surprises when the audit results come in. If this is the state of affairs in our judicial system and law enforcement, there can be little wonder about the state-of-gun crime in the country. After all, the Ministry of Defence only recently revealed in parliament that nearly 600 weapons, including 9mm pistols and repeater shotguns which were issued to politicians in the 1980 – 90 period, are yet to be returned. Earlier this year, concerns were raised about small arms from the LTTE which were taken into custody after the war, not being properly catalogued and stored by the Army.

Every few years, Sri Lanka undergoes a bloody period of gun crime with narcotics gangs fighting turf wars, and trying to carry out tit-for-tat murders. The Gun crime this year has caused many deaths, and left scores injured. The impunity with the guns for hire work has been increasing, with ever more brazen attacks being carried out. 

However, the Government claims that they are controlling the situation, with the Police occasionally announcing the colourful nom de guerre of suspects they arrest. But what good does it do if the gun crime doest stop. Firearms regulations, and even chain of custody of evidence seems to be out of control in Sri Lanka. What will it take for the Government to wake up and take robust corrective action, which will be long lasting? Should they not begin with holding those in charge of evidence storage, and armouries where such weapons are pilfered from, to account for their dereliction of duty?