News
Police fake drug charges exposed: 25 freed, one death linked to stigma
View(s):As many as 25 people arrested by the Dehiwala and Kohuwala police on charges of possessing drugs such as heroin and ‘ice,’ and subsequently remanded, have been released by the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court after reports by the Government Analyst revealed the ‘drugs’ they were accused of possessing were not drugs at all.
Tragically, one of them committed suicide after returning home and becoming depressed by the problems his family had undergone following his arrest.
Attorney-at-Law Geethma Fernando, who appeared for the victim at the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court, accused the police of planting what they subsequently claimed to be drugs on his client. Police did not respond to the accusation.
It has also been revealed that many of the suspects who had subsequently been exonerated based on reports by the Government Analyst had spent up to nine months in remand custody.
The police had initially claimed the victim had 3.2 grams of heroin in his possession. He had to go before the high court to apply for bail, at great financial cost. Attorney-at-Law Fernando said the report by the Government Analyst, which revealed that his client was not in possession of drugs, indicated that the police had arrested him on a false charge.
The victim’s sister, who was present in court when her brother’s death certificate was submitted, broke down in open court when it was announced that her brother was innocent of the charge laid against him.
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