The story about the Anuradhapura girl revealed in court today (4)

The trial regarding the controversial series of alleged sexual abuse incidents involving a 14-year-old girl in the Anuradhapura area was called today at the Anuradhapura court. Although some parties stated the girl's age as 15 years, it has now been confirmed that her actual age is 14 years and four months.

The court, which considered the case today, ordered the police to conclude the investigations conducted so far and to recommence the investigations properly through a motion.

It is reported that the National Child Protection Authority has acted very responsibly regarding this incident so far. They have submitted a special report on this matter to the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Western Province and have requested the arrest of the accused monk and an inquiry into the reasons for not arresting him. Furthermore, although it was recently advised to obtain a travel ban against the suspects, the police have not yet taken steps in that regard. The police have not yet named the relevant monk or anyone else as a suspect, and it is observed that the police are facing some reluctance or fear in enforcing the law.

According to the statement given by the girl, about three years ago, her mother handed her over to a chief monk, allegedly connected to the Atamasthana, for a sum of one hundred thousand rupees. The monk then gave the girl two thousand rupees, with which she bought a T-shirt and a bangle. Subsequently, she met the monk on several occasions, and on one occasion, she was given a mobile phone. The very accurate information provided by the girl regarding the monk's chamber, its doors, and shelves was confirmed during the crime scene visit. It is also reported that the monk had instructed her not to tell anyone about what had happened.

Additionally, another abuse incident occurred when the girl and her mother went to the Dambulla area to sell honey. While her mother was engaged in trade, the girl, who went to the toilet, was taken by a Dambulla businessman and subjected to sexual assault. He gave her money on several occasions and threatened to kill her if she told anyone about it. The crime scene observation related to this incident is scheduled to take place tomorrow, and the girl has stated that she can identify the businessman once they visit the location.

Later, the girl developed a romantic relationship with a young man in Anuradhapura. One day, between 4:15 PM and 6:00 PM, while returning after meeting him, she mistakenly boarded a bus heading to Colombo. The bus conductor provided her with food and drink and helped her, and she did not experience any harm from him. As she had taken the wrong route, she called another young man named 'Sudu Baba' who lives in Nittambuwa and went to him. It was after this that the police arrested the girl while she was staying with him in a lodge.

It is alleged that some mainstream media outlets have attempted to present facts by referring to this minor girl as a 'woman'. If the police do not conduct investigations, properly name the suspects, and activate the case through a motion, they will proceed to refer the case to the Attorney General's Department for further instructions. It is observed that if such a situation occurs, there is a high risk that this serious criminal case could be suppressed, taking a long time, such as four or five years, to receive legal advice.