Brutal attack by debt collectors
The Business Times story September 9 headlined “CB clamps down on debt collectors harassing customers” which revealed a more than cursory interest by the Central Bank to stop finance companies from harassing clients who had taken loans, drew interest from some readers who spoke of harassment from debt collectors.
This is one such story by a foreign national married to a Sri Lankan.
“The entire incident of harassment was recorded from the CCTV of a school near where the incident occurred. The police in the city were informed about this CCTV footage at the time of our complaint.
The incident was also recorded by the debt collector contractor, which is a standard procedure and part of the contract between debt collector and creditors!
My wife and I permanent residents in Sri Lanka and we own a small company.
In August 2016, we leased a reconditioned car from the well-known leasing company. Everything was fine until end August 2018. Since our business didn’t generate enough income over a long period, we had delayed payment of the lease for three months.
We then decided to hand over the car, as per leave agreement and inability to pay for a few months. The hand over was to take place at the branch of the finance company. We had also asked them to give us a letter that we are handing over the car.
However, before this process was to take place in the first week of September, we were followed from our son’s school while we made our way home. The scooter that was following us then drove past the house for about two to three times and went away.
On the very same day in the afternoon, a man walked into our neighbour’s house and was seeking information about us and our business. Immediately afterwards, he approached my wife who was working in the garden and showed fake interest in our products.
My wife showed him our product catalog and when I came out to meet him, he had left.
The next day, while nearing the school to pick up our son, a vehicle in front of us turned over to the right and blocked the entrance of the school gate. Five men got out, and rudely pulled open both front doors and roughly tried to pull my wife and myself out of the car. They were also trying to remove the car key.
My first reaction was that they were trying to beat us for some reason or other, until I realised they wanted to steal the car.
My wife and I refused to step out of the car and prevented them taking my car key. They then dealt with us with brute force with one man strangling my neck and throat with a choke hold. My wife was attacked in the same way.
We were beaten up while a crowd watched the whole incident. The hooligans then sped away in our car with several of our possessions including two of our house keys, bank books and some money.
Shortly afterwards we registered a complaint with the city’s police, only to find that these debt collectors had also made a complaint early on the same morning that they would be seizing the car. My son watched the entire assault and has become very traumatised and scared after the violent attack. He doesn’t even leave the house to play outside.
Several days have passed but there has been no police action whatsoever on the brutal attack. This is the extent to which finance companies will stoop to, through debt collectors, to collect their dues.”