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As enacted
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Part VI · Entitlement of a Victim of Crime or Witness to Obtain Protection

22. Nature, commencement, duration and termination of the grant of protection

Official English translation. Where it differs from the Sinhala or Tamil text, the Act itself says which text prevails.

(1)

Upon a consideration of the need for protection, the availability of necessary resources and subject to the prevailing laws, the measures that the Authority, the Division or a Commission, may provide to a victim of crime or a witness may include—

(a)

security to the person and property;

(b)

temporary accommodation including shelters;

(c)

permanent re-location with the consent of the victim of crime or witness as the case may be;

(d)

temporary or permanent employment;

(e)

re-identification;

(f)

any other measure which the Authority, the

Division or a Commission, shall consider necessary.

(2)

The Authority, the Division or a Commission, may provide protection to any victim of crime or any witness immediately upon the receipt of any information or complaint from such person, whether during or after the conduct of a criminal investigation, before, during or after any investigation or inquiry by a Commission and before, during or after any judicial proceedings.

(3)

When providing protection or assistance to any victim of crime or witness, the Division shall act in accordance with the advice and recommendations made by the Authority.

Assistance to and Protection of Victims of

(4)

Where a request is made by the Division to any

Ministry, Government Department, statutory institution or any public officer for assistance in providing protection or assistance to any victim of crime or a witness, it shall be the duty of such Ministry, Government Department or statutory institution or such public officer, unless unable to do so for reasons assigned, to provide the protection or assistance directly to the victim of crime or the witness concerned or to provide the assistance requested for by the Division.

(5)

The Authority, the Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of the Division or a Commission shall cease to provide protection or assistance to any victim of crime or witness, where—

(a)

the need for such protection or assistance no longer exists; or

(b)

such victim of crime or witness—

(i)

requests that such protection or assistance be terminated;

(ii)

refuses to receive such protection or assistance;

(iii)

abuses the protection or assistance granted;

(iv)

commits any breach of the peace or commits an indictable offence;

(v)

acts contrary to the terms of the memorandum of understanding entered into; or

(vi)

is found to have provided any false information, statement, complaint or testimony in order to obtained protection or assistance or having obtained assistance or protection in terms of this Act, provides false information, statement, complaint or testimony to any law enforcement Authority,

Court or Commission.

Read on from s 23

Part VII

Compensation

Read on from Part VII

Part VIII

Testimony Through Audio-Visual Linkage

Read on from Part VIII

Part IX

General

Read on from Part IX

Schedules