Poopalapillai Pirasanthan vs. Officer in Charge, Victims of Crime and Witnesses Assistance and Protection Division – CA BAIL 05/2021-2021

In Officer in Charge, Victims of Crime and Witnesses Assistance and Protection Division, Colombo 12, and the Hon. Attorney General v. Poopalapillai Pirasanthan, the court addressed whether the 2nd Suspect–Petitioner should be granted bail under Section 10(1) of the Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act, No. 4 of 2015, in light of allegations of threats made to prevent testimony in a magistrates’ court case. It was held that the prolonged delay in complaint, the lack of clarity regarding indictment status, and the petitioner’s entitlement to timely justice constituted “exceptional circumstances” justifying bail. The court reaffirmed that while the Act seeks to protect victims and witnesses, the rights of accused persons to just procedures must also be observed.