Capacity-building programmes implemented over the past few months to improve human resources and technical facilities at the Government Analyst’s Department have significantly reduced severe congestion in remand prisons.
According to the Ministry of Justice, the department issued 17,506 reports in August and September alone. The majority of these reports relate to cases backlogged since 2025, which has caused the number of remand inmates to drop from 41,993 to 36,925.
A Ministry official told the media that some suspects released as a result of this expedited process had been in remand custody for over a year and a half. He added that the department expected to issue another 8,000 reports before the end of this month, with the aim of reducing the number of remanded suspects to 30,000.
The department will be able to complete the testing of all samples received up to the end of April this year, which will further minimise prison congestion and the remand periods of suspects.
To accelerate this process, the Ministry has taken multiple steps concerning infrastructure and human resources development. As an immediate solution, 50 chemistry graduates were recruited for a one-year period from 31 July to conduct drug testing.
Furthermore, 22 permanent vacancies have been filled, and a temporary laboratory facility for the new recruits has been established on the premises. Government Analyst’s Department staff will work extra shifts until January next year to expedite the issuance of backlogged reports, and the number of drug-testing machines has been increased from six to nine.
Additionally, the Ministry is currently in the process of obtaining approval from the Public Service Commission to increase the department’s staff cadre to 131.
The Right to Life Human Rights Centre, which has continuously advocated alongside other parties regarding prison congestion and case delays, warmly welcomes this development. A documentary produced by the Centre on the long-term, unjust imprisonment of individuals under Section 54 of the Poisons, Opium, and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance is available to view online.