ABUSE CASE AT CHILDREN’S HOME AT JA-ELA

Ja-Ela “Harvest” Children’s Home owner arrested for the accusation of child abuse

It is learnt that Rodney Perera who is the owner of “Harvest” children’s home in Ja-Ela had been arrested for the offence of abusing the young orphan girls for a long period of time. On a tip off the Police had identified four orphan girls who had been unfortunate victims and produced before courts
It is learnt the owner represents a section “Harvest” of the Cristian Church. It is also learnt that the abuse activities of the owner had been reported by the sections of the Christian Clergy to the Authorities of the Probation and child care Department.
Probation and Child care Department on the orders of the courts assign the orphan children to various children’s homes and the entire responsibility of the children’s care lies on the Authorities of the Probation and Child care Department. These homes are normally run on funds received from Non Governmental Organisations. The orphan children are made to work on some small industrial projects after training. They have at most times have had to work like slaves. They have been scared to disclose their sufferings in addition to ‘abuse’.
At the Ja-Ela “Harvest” the orphan children had been subjected to child abuse for a long period of time. They had kept silent as they were so helpless, but they divulged the grievances when produced to courts.
The owner of the children’s home was remanded until the 29th on the orders of the Additional Magistrate Miss Yvonne Fernando.