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Unravelling links in chain child drama
By Chris Kamalendran
The recent uproar at Orugodawatte over the detection of a child in chains, followed by charges and counter charges of child prostitution and sale of organs, has taken a new turn with the suspect's unfortunate daughter being sacked from her job.

Colombo Crimes Division Director D.S.S. Lugoda said following headline hitting allegations made against the suspect Nishanthi Liyanage in whose flat the tied up child was found, her daughter who was teaching at an international school had been asked to quit. He said the school authorities had taken the decision after several parents had expressed concern over sending their children to the school after the story broke out.

Meanwhile on Friday when Ms. Liyanage was produced in courts, police investigators told courts that there was no evidence to link her with allegations of child prostitution and the racket of organ transplant. Colombo Magisatrate J.R.W. Dissanayake asked that a DNA test be done to determine whether a woman named Rosy and another girl who have been traced, are the actual mother and sister of the girl who was found in the flat.

Prisons officials produced a report of a psychiatrist, clearing the suspect from any mental disorder. The Magistrate also ordered the Child Care and Probation officers to produce a report about the girl who is now in the care of the Salvation Army.

Police objected to bail being granted to the suspect saying there was a threat to her life as there was still tension prevailing in the Orugodawatte area. The woman who has been traced as the mother of the child found in the flat was also produced in courts on Friday.

Speaking to The Sunday Times Rosy, as she identified herself said; driven by poverty she was forced to give up her daughters for adoption about 10 years ago. She confirmed that the child who was found tied up in a flat at Orugodawatte was one of her daughter's whom she had given up for adoption.

"I was living in Kotahena and after I lost my husband I had no permanent income. I was forced to take a decision regarding both my daughters, aged four years and one and a half years old. The person to whom I handed over the children was earlier living in Kotahena. One of them was handed over after making an entry at the police station while the other was handed over to the same person without such an entry."

Police said at the time the 13 -year-old girl was found in the flat at Orugodawatte, the other girl was in Kotahena with the suspect's mother. Rosy said she used to visit her two daughters regularly and both of them were attending school.

According to police the girl who was found in the flat had first attended St John's College in Modera for three years and then Joseph Vaz Convent in Nainamadama, Wennappuwa up to grade four. In 1995 the girl had been admitted to St. Lucia's in Kotahena but she had dropped out three years ago.

Police said the suspect had two daughters of her own and her businessman husband had died in 1995. The suspect had set up a beauty parlour and was carrying out a bridal business. The girl she had adopted used to help her with her business.

The suspect had told police that the girl was having a clandestine affair with a person working at a bakery to which she had strongly objected. Police said the girl had allegedly been beaten up several times and even burnt on one occasion when she had refused to stop the affair.

Police said neighbours had apparently informed the suspect that the youth used to visit the girl when the suspect was out of the house. The woman eventually decided to chain the girl and keep her home to prevent her from getting out of the house.
Meanwhile police claim that residents who earlier charged that the flat was being used as an organ transplant centre and a house of ill fame have now failed to come forward to give evidence.

Police are also investigating whether the youth with whom the girl was having an affair had any hand in creating violence and digging up the house when the girl was found chained to a bed in the flat about two weeks ago.

The residents who kept the police away and started digging the place claimed they found school uniforms and other clothes buried under the concrete floor. But police say there is no evidence to suggest that any clothes had been buried. They say angry residents had pulled out clothes from the house and had burnt them.

Two weeks after the scenes of disturbance, children now play cricket within the flats compound while police guard the place. Government analysts say they visited the scene looking for possible evidence, but failed to come up with anything. “The people have dug up the place, so there is no evidence left, even if there was any," Government Analyst K.Sivarajah said.

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