Cancer Patient Aid Scam: Suspects implicated in another fraud case

By Bhagya Silva

Colombo, March 17 (Daily Mirror) - The two suspects, who were previously arrested for allegedly defrauding cancer patients of over Rs. 2.2 million, have recently been implicated in another similar fraud case in Nikaweratiya, the CID told the Chief Magistrate's Court today.

Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali  thereafter granted permission to produce suspects, Rasika Damayanthi and Sithum Nisansala before the Nikaweratiya Magistrate’s Court on March 21 in connection with this new case.  

It was revealed that the suspects had deceived cancer patients by responding to newspaper advertisements seeking financial assistance. By falsely claiming to offer aid, they obtained the victims’ bank details and official documents, defrauding them over Rs. 700,000.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) informed court that the suspects are part of a larger syndicate involved in multiple fraudulent schemes. Authorities are conducting further investigations to identify and arrest additional suspects linked to the operation.  

Subsequently, all suspects, Malith Bhashana, Rasika Damayanthi, and Sithumi Nisansala, residents of Kaduwela were ordered to be further remanded till 24 by the Chief Magistrate for the previous case.

During previous proceedings, the CID revealed that the third suspect, the mother of the second suspect, had no formal employment, yet her bank account had received over Rs. 2.4 million. Investigators uncovered that these funds were withdrawn through various ATMs and transferred to other accounts.  

The CID further detailed that the suspects exploited online advertisements posted by cancer patients seeking aid. They contacted victims, posed as donors, and falsely claimed that wealthy individuals were willing to provide financial assistance. After obtaining medical records, bank details and copies of national identity cards, they forged fraudulent IDs to acquire SIM cards registered under the victims’ names. Using the ‘Just Pay’ mobile application, they then redirected donations meant for the patients into their own accounts.