Video: Police have committed a grave injustice: Dr. Prathiba

24 September 2015 05:19 pm - 26 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The Commissioner of the Human Rights, Dr. Prathiba Mahanamahewa said today that the 17-year-old schoolboy, who was arrested over the rape and killing of five-year-old Seya Sadewmi, was the victim of a grave injustice.

He said the student could complain to the Human Rights Council and also take the matter to court.

“The rights of the 17-year-old boy have been violated by his unjustifiable arrest. Police may arrest people as long as there is sufficient evidence against them. The arrest of the student raises the doubts as to whether he was arrested after due investigation,” he said.

He said the police had said one reason for the arrest was the presence of pornographic material on his laptop. If this is so, many others should have been arrested for keeping pornographic material with them, he said.

Dr. Mahanamahewa said that, as a country which is a signatory to the Convention on Child Rights, Sri Lanka is bound to protect reputation of children. “No mental or physical harm should be done to children. The arrested student will face many obstacles on his release,” he said.

He also criticised some media reports which attempted to portray the student as a criminal and said it was time for the media to rectify their errors. “The student can also complain to the press council,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Lanka Teachers' Union Secretary Joseph Stalin condemned the rape and killing of the girl and said the police treatment of the suspects in custody was unacceptable.

“As soon as the suspects were arrested, the police acted as if the suspects had already been convicted. They accused the schoolboy of using ganja and said they found pornographic material on his laptop. This is completely wrong. Any suspect is innocent until proven guilty,” he said.

He said the police had acted without responsibility and asked how the 17-year-old bot who is an A/L student could return to school or face his parents and peers. “One precious life has already lost and another life is being subjected to police injustice,” he said.

Mr. Stalin said immediate action should be taken, to produce the student in court to ascertain whether he is guilty or not. “If he is guilty he should be punished and if not should be released immediately. Justice delayed is justice denied,” he said.

However, Police Spokesman SSP Priyantha Jayakody said the court will take appropriate action on the two suspects who are on remand.

“They were arrested and produced in court in order to conduct medical tests on them and to obtain DNA samples. These are required to determine if they match the foreign matter found on Sadewmi during the postmortem,” SSP Jayakody said.

He said the necessary laboratory tests were being carried out and Court would would base its decision on the analytical reports. (Sanath Desmond and Lahiru Pothmulla)

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Comments - 26

RA Friday, 25 September 2015 10:25 AM

Keeping phonographic materials on his laptop is not a crime you fool.

Joker Friday, 25 September 2015 09:13 PM

The Police spokesperson need a haircut(Police crop) then he need to loose weight, look at him, looks like gobbled the child

de silva Friday, 25 September 2015 05:32 PM

They have so called immiunity.

de silva Friday, 25 September 2015 05:30 PM

Dr.Prabath.The police will do everything to clear their name.The DIG who requested the CID to inquire into this now should publicly apoligise.

ban Friday, 25 September 2015 03:16 PM

first some personnel in the police, should undergo rehabilitation programme

Hiran Friday, 25 September 2015 02:45 PM

The child should be given finacial compensation and a scholarship.

@ra Friday, 25 September 2015 02:20 PM

At the age of 17, it most certainly is a crime. I know a prostitute who got charged with rape for sleeping with a 17 year old boy.

Sajin Vass Friday, 25 September 2015 01:54 PM

I even watched Blue Films in USA using Mother Lanka Tax Payers Money. Catch me if you can

Gayan Friday, 25 September 2015 01:09 PM

My (singhalese) driver used to watch porn together with policemen stationed in Batticaloa.

dessy Friday, 25 September 2015 12:06 PM

Police cannot decide who has to be hanged. It is the judiciary who decides after proper proceedings.

Rotham Friday, 25 September 2015 11:53 AM

Not only their computes and laptops. Check their Bed rooms too for Pornographic materials and drugs.

moiez Friday, 25 September 2015 11:51 AM

Yes ur right even the senior police officers rape police woman to give them promotions look your own grave first before digging others grave.

Mason Friday, 25 September 2015 10:40 AM

The student being cleared of charges, the family must be relocated and a school in a different district be found for him to persue his studies. The Police department being responsible for tarnishing the reputation of the boy as well as his family must pay compensation in billiobs to the family.

Nadeesha Friday, 25 September 2015 12:01 AM

First check our politicians laptops/computers. If they have stored pornographic materials, Arrest them to deter others.

Jay Dee Friday, 25 September 2015 07:24 AM

Dear dr Prathiba,It gives me so much hope, when I see professionals like you -with so much passion for what they do. Thanks you.

TV program Friday, 25 September 2015 07:05 AM

I suggest the popular TV station conducts their Saturday program on this case of the Boy , and also gets the boy as one of the participent along with the police spooksman.(wrong spelling intended)

nimalu Friday, 25 September 2015 06:57 AM

With this kind of mediocre police work in this country the 17 year old and many more would have gone to the gallows. This is why the death penalty should never be brought back - many innocence would be hanged.

UKUSSA Friday, 25 September 2015 06:42 AM

Some says that even recently promoted senior DIG has allegation of reping women police officers, they use their legal power for making this kind of series crime. They should be hang to death for miss use of power

Ram Friday, 25 September 2015 06:13 AM

It is easy for Mahanamahewa, Stalin and others to criticize Police who got to work under difficult conditions when investigating crime. If a person cannot be arrested on suspicion investigations come to a halt. The press must be careful not to treat suspects as criminals. I feel sorry for the school boy but he too is not a saint and may face charges for phonograph.

Nilame Friday, 25 September 2015 05:30 AM

These tragic incidents and the crocodile story over the past two weeks diverted attention from the UNHRC report.

Gamini Ranasinghe Friday, 25 September 2015 05:02 AM

This is absolutely horrible. Either Police is totally incompetent or absolutely callous or both. The officers responsible for ruining the reputation of this boy causing so much misery to him must be punished severely. As a minimum they must be sacked from the force. Our Police is a third class force which knows only to unleash shear brutality on people.

simon Friday, 25 September 2015 03:40 AM

After all we are third world country. What do you expect ?

Cheers Friday, 25 September 2015 03:35 AM

That shows you and your government have no idea of justice

Veda-mama Friday, 25 September 2015 03:35 AM

Our Police Force is disgusting at times. How can they ever compensate for the irreversible damage done to this young boy due to their "Scape Goat" tactics.

Bippity Boppity Boo Friday, 25 September 2015 12:57 AM

The police spokesman looks a real joker. What a state of affairs. Yahapalanaya or not, justice has to be served in a civilised manner. This is an issue for the UNHRC now.

Roger Friday, 25 September 2015 12:52 AM

It is no secret the interrogation methods used by Police at the station. This schoolboy would have gone through the process of no fault of his. Who is going to compensate for all this IGP?

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Video: Police have committed a grave injustice: Dr. Prathiba

Comments - 26

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