Trio offer contradictory and misleading statements: After surrendering to Police | Daily News

Trio offer contradictory and misleading statements: After surrendering to Police

Wellampitiya Police Station OIC Sampath Sanjeewa.Picture by Chaminda Niroshana
Wellampitiya Police Station OIC Sampath Sanjeewa.Picture by Chaminda Niroshana

The two girls and a young woman, who had gone missing from Kolonnawa since October 14 surrendered to the Welampitiya and Gampaha Police yesterday, however much remains to be known of the exact reasons they left home, since the trio have been giving misleading statements. Police say they will have to rely on substantial evidence to ascertain their whereabouts.

“Based on what we know so far, we can say with certainity that they were not kidnapped nor were they kept against their will during the last five days,” said Sampath Sanjeewa, the Officer- in-Charge of the Wellampitiya Police Station.

“The two girls surrendered to the police station following the arrest of a 14-year-old boy who had an affair with one of the girls.”

Yesterday, 14-year-old Lakshan was arrested by Wellampitiya Police after family members of the girls suspected that he may be involved in the girl’s disappearance. He was questioned for several hours during which he revealed that he had spoken to the girls on one occasion and knew of their whereabouts. He however denied having any role in their disappearance, citing that he knew them personally and that he had been home during the last five days.

OIC Sanjeewa said that while Lakshan was being questioned, 19-year- old, Malithi Wathsala who is also a mother of an infant and 15-year-old Yasanthi Madushani came to the Wellampitiya Police in a three-wheeler. Upon questioning, Yasanthi told Police that she left home after being chastised by her mother for having an affair with a boy who lived in their flats. Meanwhile, Malithi Wathsala had not provided any conclusive statement of her reasons to stay away from home but added that they were not harmed.

Police say that the duo surrendered after finding out that the boy who was arrested maybe reprimanded by his family or the Police. “It is difficult to believe the girls contorted statements as they have cited many reasons, none of which seems sequential or valid.”

Fourteen-year old Charithri Chandrasekaram also fondly called Sweta hails from the same neighbourhood and surrendered to the Gampaha Police. She was escorted to the Police station by a woman, whose family members and relatives claim not to know.

Sanjeevi, the mother of Yasanthi said that the girls had not returned home because their captor had confiscated a gold chain that Malithi had been wearing. According to Sanjeevi, Yasanthi and Malithi feared returning home since the captor had pawned the chain. Yasanthi is the sister-in-law of Malithi.

“Yasanthi does not own a cellphone and neither do we allow her to leave home unaided. We have a family function next week and since the three girls insisted, we let them go,” Yasanthi’s mother said. “They had boarded a train bound for Gampaha from Dematagoda on a joy ride but did not return home. They called us a few times and phoned Lakshan saying that they were safe and we need not look for them.” Police were able to trace the numbers which lead them to Gampaha.

Meanwhile, the mother of 14-year-old Sweta who had gone from pillar to post in search of her daughter said that she couldn’t comprehend as to why the girl had left home.

“We are glad that she is alive and well,” she told the Daily News adding that there were many times the families and police feared the worst. “The trio were close friends and both Sweta and Yasanthi are schooling. We had no inclination to believe they wanted to drop out from school, elope or run-away from home.” Sweta had also contacted Malithi’s husband saying that they need not search for the trio who were safe.

Police have so far arrested two suspects, the 14-year- old boy from Salamulla and a woman who brought Sweta to the Gampaha Police station. The Women’s and Child Bureau of the Gampaha Police on their way to the Wellampitiya Police station yesterday visited a few places to collect CCTV footage since Sweta claimed that they were residing there during the last few days.

Police say that before charge sheets are filed, they will need to rely on substantial evidence to ascertain where they girls had been and the reasons why, since each of them provided contradictory statements.


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