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Girl, 18, and driver accused of peddling teen to nightclub
An 18-year-old girl and the driver of a nightclub in Colombo will be charged with child trafficking for luring a 15-year-old girl into the sex trade.
The Welikada Police said that the 15-year-old girl was found dancing in a nightclub six days after she left her parent’s house in Dummalasooriya.
She had been lured away by a neighbour and a friend. The neighbour told her parents that she needed the teen’s help to dress up a bride in Colombo.
Inspector Ashok Kumar of the anti-vice branch, said the girl disappeared on 16 September and the mother filed a complaint on Sept 20 at the Dummalasooriya Police. Two days later, the mother had received a call from her daughter saying she is in a hotel in Colombo but was unable to give the location. But the mother noticed the caller location was Rajagiriya and had informed the police.
The Dummalasooriya Police then informed the Welikada Police who tracked her down at a nightclub. The girl was under dressed and dancing for customers at the time the police raided. The teen told the police she had been forced into the trade. Every evening she was expected to dance for men, she told police. The girls were told to sell flowers to male club patrons and the men then would pick them for sex. However, the girl had said that she had escaped from being abused by men because a male waiter had objected. He had given his mobile phone for her to call home.
The Welikada Police arrested five other women at the club. They will be charged under the Vagrants Ordinance. Seven men who sold foreign liquor without a licence were also arrested. Inquiries reveal that the club has been registered as a restaurant. The owner is absconding.
A medical check done on the teen has shown that she has not been sexually abused.
The suspects were remanded until October 10. The Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, said that the National Child Protection authority has been asked to investigate.