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Alleged people smuggler with past record refused bail
A man believed to be involved in smuggling people to Australia by boat from the south of Sri Lanka, now in custody has been found to be having similar charges of trafficking, Court was told this week. The disclosure was made when a bail application was filed on behalf of the suspect at the Galle Provincial High Court this week.
The suspect, Ali Mohammad Ansar (42) of Saliyapura, Kirinde was apprehended by the Sri Lanka Navy on November 26, 2012 when he was trafficking a hundred persons to Australia and handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department.
State Counsel Miss. K.V. Indika said there are two more such cases against him at the Magistrate’s Courts in Negombo and Galle. She objected granting bail to the suspect saying there is no solid reasoning to release him and could cause the accused to repeat the offence. Court was told that according to the statements made by the boat people, they had paid money for the trip to the suspect.
However, Ansar’s Counsel submitted in the bail application that his client is only a fisherman and has no part in the racket. The counsel further requested the Magistrate to grant bail to his client with conditions since his client is a father of two who are students.Provincial High Court Judge K.B.K. Hiriburegama refused bail to a man who had been in remand since July 7, 2013 over the charge of alleged human smuggling to Australia.
This week in another case in Beruwala, the Police arrested 75 would-be asylum seekers who were attempting to migrate illegally to New Zealand last Wednesday.
“The group of 60 males, 9 females and 6 children was apprehended early Wednesday following a tip-off received by the Beruwala Police,” Police Spokesman SP Ajith Rohana said.
Police have identified, among the group, a rehabilitated former Sea Tiger member known as Kanapathi Nimaladas alias ‘Ambi’, a resident of Pallai in Kilinochchi District, he added. The Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) is conducting further investigations on the suspect.The Kalutara Magistrate ordered the suspect be remanded till February 28 while the rest of the group was released on surety bail of Rs. 50,000 each. The six children were sent back to their parents.
The suspects were identified as residents of Eravur, Batticaloa, Kilinochchi, Ampara, Panadura and Wellawatta areas. These 75 persons had arrived in Colombo a couple of days earlier and stayed at a lodge in Gasworks Junction. The smugglers had arranged a bus and a van to take the group to the Moragalla area in Beruwala.
The smugglers had charged only between Rs.30,000 and Rs. 50,000 from an individual to take them to New Zealand by sea. However, police believe that it was a racket as the usual charges are over Rs. 400,000.
The perpetrator of this racket has been identified as a resident of Batticaloa and investigations are being conducted to arrest him, said the police spokesperson.
Further investigations are being carried out by the Beruwala Police and the Criminal Investigation Department.
(KR/DGS)