News

Bill allowing witnesses to testify from overseas to be gazetted

05 Apr, 2017

The?Bill on allowing victims and witnesses to testify from overseas through audio visual media,?without being present in?court is to be gazetted and presented to Parliament.

Cabinet today approved a proposal by?Justice Minister Wijayadasa Rajapaksha to present the draft Bill to Parliament.

Cabinet last year gave the approval to amend the existing?laws to allow witnesses to testify from overseas.

The witness and victims protection law?was brought into operation in?May last year.?However the Government said there had been requests to allow?witnesses from overseas to testify under this act.

Accordingly it the Government had decided to amend the existing law enabling victims and witnesses to give evidences from outside the country through audio visual media,?without being present in?court.

Such evidences may be given at a Sri Lankan Diplomatic Mission in the respective country and provisions should be enacted to protect the freedom of witnesses and prevent any influence. (Colombo Gazette)

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