- Last Update 2024-07-18 23:24:00
‘This is the way I did it’
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Namini Wijedasa talks to a kingpin who thrives in his people-smuggling business
Nishantha Fernando met us at the door of his two-storey mansion in Barudelpola.
“I knew you were coming,” he announced.
News travels fast in this pretty fishing village near Marawila. We were shown into his hall, with its giant widescreen television, patterned chairs and prominent altar to Jesus.
Mr Fernando quickly finished his lunch. He dashed around. He smoked a cigarette. He pulled up a chair. Then, puffing out his chest, he declared: “Mama thamai gema karey”. I did it.
We were two journalists and a photographer. As public confessions went, this was extraordinary. Over the next 90 minutes, Mr Fernando admitted to having illegally dispatched hundreds of Sri Lankans to Australia by boat. He narrated his exploits with relish.
The majority were comfortably settled there, he bragged. He took a video-call to a Melbourne-based former “happy client” to prove his point. And, after diving into the depths of his sprawling residence, Mr Fernando even brought out a large roll of well-thumbed nautical maps to illustrate every skipper’s preferred route to Christmas Island. [Read full story]
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