The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) informed the court that an extensive investigation has been launched into an incident of Maththegoda Police officers harassing an 11-year-old girl.
The NCPA officials informed the court that the girl’s aunt had filed a complaint with the Maththegoda Police regarding an incident of theft of gold worth around Rs.500,000. The girl had been arrested by the police in connection with the complaint.
However, it was learnt that the girl’s information had not been recorded by the police when she was arrested.
The NCPA informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court that one of the police officers had manhandled the girl and forced her to plead guilty to stealing gold items. The NCPA said they are investigating to identify the officers involved in this incident.
NCPA officials informed the court that a school in Pannipitiya area had submitted a report stating that the girl was in school at the time of the theft.
They also said that the Maththegoda Police had submitted false information about the girl to the Kesbewa Magistrate’s Court.
The Magistrate ordered the NCPA to conduct a comprehensive investigation and report the facts to the court.