Court orders forensic analysis in case involving minor

By Upali Ananda – Anuradhapura

May 5 (Daily Mirror) - The Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate Siyapath Sasindu Wickramaratne yesterday directed the Gampaha Division Police Children and Women’s Bureau to submit case materials to the Government Analyst and present the report to court in connection with an alleged abuse case involving a 15-year-old girl, reportedly implicating a Buddhist monk and several other individuals.

The order was issued after considering submissions made by the police when the case was recalled yesterday on a motion filed by the Officer-in-Charge of Nittambuwa Police, following instructions from the Gampaha Division Children and Women’s Bureau. The Magistrate also directed the Bureau to submit a progress report on the ongoing investigations.

Some of the case materials had reportedly been found buried near the minor’s residence by officers of the Gampaha Division Children and Women’s Bureau.

Earlier submissions made to court on April 27th stated that, acting on information received, police located the 15-year-old girl at a lodge within the Nittambuwa Police Division, where she was staying with a man said to be her boyfriend. Both were taken into police custody, and the girl was later produced before a Judicial Medical Officer at the Gampaha District Hospital for a medico-legal examination.

Police informed court that the Judicial Medical Officer had confirmed the girl had been subjected to sexual abuse on several occasions in recent days as well as previously. During extensive questioning, the victim had stated that she was first abused by the chief incumbent of a prominent temple in the sacred city of Anuradhapura. She further alleged that her boyfriend and another individual, identified as a relative (brother-in-law), had also sexually abused her after that.

Meanwhile, a special police investigation team, including an Assistant Superintendent of Police and the Officer-in-Charge of the Gampaha Division Children and Women’s Bureau, has visited Anuradhapura and remained there for several days. The team recorded statements after questioning the chief incumbent for more than three hours. The victim was also taken to the temple for an on-site inspection.

Preliminary investigations have also revealed that the girl’s parents had received large sums of money from the chief incumbent on several occasions.

The victim is currently being housed under protection at a special children’s home.