Wariyapola assault: suspect pleads guilty

8 July 2015 04:06 pm

Robert Dasanlage Chandra Kumara alias Selva, who was slapped by a girl at the Wariyapola bus stand and led to a social media sensation, pleaded guilty for sexually harassing the girl and other offences.

The video recording of the assault of ‘Selva’ by a girl following the alleged provocation resulted in the video going viral and a debate on women’s rights and sexual harassment in the country.

The suspect pleaded guilty at the Wariyapola Magistrate’s Court today.

He has pleaded guilty of the offence he had committed under Section 345 of the Penal Code.

Section 345 of the Penal Code states that whoever by assault or by criminal force sexually harasses another person by words or action and causes sexual annoyance cause the offence of sexual harassment.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Counsel Sudharshana Gunawardena, who watched the interests of the girl, said initially the defence lawyer wanted to plead guilty for a lesser offence under Section 343 of the Penal Code.

“Although the defence counsel wanted to plead guilty under Section 343 of the Penal Code for Provocation they finally agreed to plead guilty under Section 345 following the objection by Thilini’s counsel,” he said.

The sentence and compensation are to be decided on the July 29.

A Fundamental Rights Application is also in the Supreme Court against OIC of Wariyapola Police for illegal arrest of Thilini Amalka. (Chathushika Wijeyesinghe)