News
Big questions loom over little Seya’s killing
Nearly a month after the killing and rape of four year-old Seya Sedewmi, police investigations still continue and the mystery deepens.
Repeated attempts by the police to match the DNA of three suspects have drawn a blank as they did not tally with the DNA samples found on the victim.
Greentech, the company that conducts DNA testing, has issued negative reports on the 17 year-old schoolboy, 33 year old man and another suspect in the case.
The boy, who allegedly had posted a photograph of the victim on his facebook wall and the 33-year-old man, both neighbours of the victim, were taken in for questioning by the police five days after her body was found in a thicket close to her house.
They were taken into custody on September 15 and produced before the Minuwangoda Magistrate who remanded them till October 2. But they were released earlier as their DNA reports came in negative.
The schoolboy has gone before the Human Rights Commission (HRC) alleging that his rights were violated through wrongful arrest.
He also alleges that the social stigma has deprived him from attending school or facing society as his name and photograph were published and aired on media.
In addition he has lodged a complaint with the Inspector General of Police N.K. Illangakoon, alleging he was assaulted by the Minuwangoda police while in custody.
The police Chief has ordered an inquiry into the allegations.
The second suspect too corroborated the charge while lodging a complaint that he too was assaulted by the police.
Police Spokesman, ASP Ruwan Gunasekera said that the boy was undergoing medical examinations and if his claims were proven, legal action would be taken against the police officers in question.
He said an inquiry would be held at departmental level and disciplinary action taken.
Meanwhile as the investigations continued, on September 25 police arrested an individual named Dunesh Priyashantha, also known as Kondaya. The man, the police claimed, confessed to the crime in a statement that revealed sordid details.
However, on Thursday, the DNA matching report cleared Kondaya.
The police, however said, that unlike the earlier two suspects Kondaya would not be released. “We have other incriminating evidence against him and he will not be released on this finding,” ASP Gunasekera said.
Meanwhile it is learnt that Kondaya had subsequently retracted his statement and had claimed that his older brother Saman Jayalath was behind the rape and killing of little Seya.
Following this revelation the brother was arrested on October 3, and the court ordered a DNA test be carried out on him. The police are awaiting the report.
In another development in the case, on Thursday, Genetech was directed by the Minuwangoda magistrate to carry out a DNA test on the father of Seya.
Initially, Seya’s father, a schoolteacher was rigorously questioned by the police. It is learnt that he has an ongoing case against him involving the alleged sexual harassment of a schoolgirl in a leading school in Negombo.
Meanwhile, police said investigations were still continuing in the Kahawatte case where a 39 year-old woman, a mother of three was killed in the Kotakethena area on October 5.
“We have recorded about 50 statements from people in the area,” ASP Gunasekera said.
The body of the woman has not yet been found. From 2008 to 2011, 17 women, all from Kotakethena area, in Kahawatte, have been killed and many of the cases still remain unresolved.
Meanwhile police said a resident of Kithulwatte Road in Borella was taken into custody in connection with the killing of 44-year-old Chaminda Perera alias ‘Patisse’, an employee at the Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC).
Police said the victim was killed for the gold chains he was wearing. The suspect was caught in the act of pawning the gold in Badulla.
The victim was found dead in front of the gate of the golf course club in the early hours of October 5, with cut injuries to his hands and neck.