Sold child to go abroad
By Priyanwada Ranawaka
A couple living in Mawathagama had allegedly sold their child for Rs. 5000 as the mother wanted money to go abroad, police have revealed. According to Mawathagama police OIC Athula Karunapala, the two month old girl had been sold to a wealthy childless couple at Weuda, in order to collect enough money for the alleged mother to go abroad for work.

The OIC had received an anonymous letter regarding this baby sale and had promptly carried out investigations. During the raid on the house of the mother, clothes and feeding material of a baby had been found. When questioned about the child's whereabouts the couple had said the baby had been given 'to another family to be looked after'.

On further questioning, the alleged father of the child had confessed to have sold the child. He has revealed that being an Army deserter he only did odd jobs, which brought him little money, and hence he had thought of sending his wife abroad.
He has told the police that the child was given away for Rs. 5000 to the childless couple who were delighted to have their daughter.

"We have no way of living, that is why I wanted to leave the country to find a job. I did not like this deal at first, but we had no other option", the alleged mother of the child had reportedly said.

Both parents of the child, who had been kept in remand by the police were produced before Magistrate Kamal Antony Peiris, who has ordered them to be further kept in remand till further hearing of the case. On observation of the favourable relationship of the child with its new parents, the court had permitted the child to be kept by its foster parents till the next hearing.

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