The Cabinet approval has been granted to amend existing laws to allow witnesses to testify from overseas, the Government said today.
“The above act was brought into operation on 16th May 2016. There have been requests to give witnesses from overseas under this act.
Accordingly it has been decided to amend the above act enabling victims and witnesses to give evidences from outside the country through audio visual media, without being present at the courts. 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.
The proposal made by Wijayadasa Rajapaksa, Minister of Justice, to draft amendments to the above act on the above purposes, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers,” the Government said in a statement.
