Former Prisons Commissioner General Emil Ranjan Lamahewa, who was arrested over the Welikada prison massacre, has been released on bail. 

Lamahewa was the Prisons Commissioner at the time the prison massacre took place. 

Lamahewa was arrested by the Police over the incident along with IP Neomal Rangajeewa, an officer attached to the Police Narcotics Division. 

Both Rangajeewa and Lamahewa have now been released on bail. Rangajeewa was later reinstated in the same division by IGP Pujith Jayasundara.

Lawyers representing the aggrieved party previously informed the court that both Lamahewa and Rangajeewa had attempted to intimidate journalist Kasun Pussewela who extensively reported the prison massacre and subsequent developments. 

Twenty-seven inmates were killed and more than 20 others injured in deadly shooting during the riot on November 9, 2012, when prisoners took control of the populated prison, objecting to an unannounced search by the Special Task Force to nab hidden arms, drugs and mobile phones at the prison.