The Hatton Magistrate’s Court has ordered the remand of three teenagers in connection with the repeated sexual assault of a Grade 11 student from a prominent school in Ginigathena.
The suspects, aged between 16 and 17, include the girl’s boyfriend, one of his friends, and another youth accused of aiding and abetting the crimes.
According to Chief Inspector Viraj Withanage, OIC of the Ginigathena Police, the case came to light following a complaint lodged by the girl’s grandmother. The victim, who is currently under her grandmother’s care, had left home on the morning of January 17 and did not return until late that night.
Growing suspicious of the girl’s behavior and frequent absences, the grandmother alerted local authorities.
During the subsequent police inquiry, the schoolgirl revealed that she had been involved in a romantic relationship with a youth from the Gonawala area. She confessed that upon meeting him, he had taken her to a friend's house where both the boyfriend and his friend allegedly raped her.
The victim’s statement further indicated that the abuse had occurred on several different occasions. Following these revelations, police arrested the three suspects on January 18.
- The student has been referred to the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) at the Nawalapitiya District General Hospital for a formal medical examination.
The suspects were produced before the Hatton Magistrate’s Court on January 19. After considering the evidence presented by the Ginigathena Police, Hatton District Judge and Magistrate Peter Paul ordered that all three suspects be held in remand custody until February 2, 2026.
