14 arrested over robbery of ancient Buddha statue in Mawathagama

Fourteen individuals were arrested in connection with the robbing of a Buddha statue of historic value in the Mawathagama area, police said.  

According to police, the stolen Buddha statue and two vans allegedly used by the suspects had been taken into custody. Investigations were launched following information that a Buddha statue kept at the residence of the Venerable Thera of Kebithigoda Purana Viharaya in Kahapathwala had been forcibly removed.  

Police revealed that four suspects, posing as officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), had arrived at the temple on the 28th and taken the Buddha statue from the Venerable Thera.  The recovered statue is reported to be a gold Buddha statue measuring approximately one and a half feet in height.   The suspects, aged between 22 and 56, are residents of Minigamuwa, Theldeniya, Monaragala, Matugama, Matale and Rideegama.   All suspects were produced before the Pilessa Magistrate and were remanded until the 13th, police said.