Massage parlour owner behind bars for hiring three foreign ladies as sex workers

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

A massage parlour owner who was found guilty of procuring three foreign women for prostitution after promising them job opportunities as massage therapists was sentenced yesterday to five years of rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court.   

Colombo High Court Judge Adithya Patabendige convicted the accused, Mohamed Hanefa Mohamed Sheik, on three counts and sentenced him to five years of imprisonment for each count, to be served concurrently.   
The High Court Judge observed that the court could not consider a lenient sentence, as requested by the defence counsel, due to the seriousness of the offence, which tarnishes the country’s image.   

The accused was also ordered to pay compensation of Rs. 250,000 to each of the three foreign women. Failure to make these payments will result in an additional one-year imprisonment.   

The Walana Anti-Corruption Unit raided the massage parlour in 2021, and the Attorney General subsequently filed indictments against the accused on three counts.   

State Counsel Nimesha De Alwis appeared on behalf of the Attorney General.