He was speaking at the opening of the renovated Jaffna prison.

According to him, Sri Lankan prisons house around 18,000 persons.

Most of them should not have been behind bars, as they had either been caught for minor offences or not given proper legal advice, he said.

Police blamed for delays

Police take too long to file a case and yet another 10 to 15 years area wasted at courts, Marapana noted.

This has made not only suspects, but also judges and lawyers abhorring legal redress, he said, adding that this situation should be rectified.