Special court to try Jaffna rape accused - President
May 26, 2015 01:22 pm
President Maithripala Sirisena, who is currently visiting Jaffna, pledges that the accused in the Pungudutivu gang rape and murder case will be punished even through a special court, the Presidential Media Division said.
“We cannot let such incidents to happen ever in the future in the country,” he added.
The President was speaking at a meeting with school children of Northern Province held at Wembady Girls’ School during his sudden visit to Jaffna today (May 16). Children of seventeen schools participated at this meeting.
Later, the President met the parents of Sivaloganathan Vithya, the teenager who was found raped and murdered recently, at the Jaffna Governor’s residence then he expressed his deep regret over the incident.
A recent incident of rape and murder of an 18-year-old school girl had triggered violence last Wednesday in Jaffna, when people who had gathered outside the court complex went on rampage when police brought the arrested persons to the court.
A section of the mob, numbering around 400, threw stones at the court buildings and in the process, vehicles were damaged.
As many as 130 persons were arrested by the police for rioting. Ten police officers including Superintendent of Police of Jaffna were transferred with immediate effect.
Police had to fire tear gas and shops, banks and schools were closed as the protests brought Jaffna, the capital of Northern Province, to a standstill.
The protesters demanded that authorities hand over nine men who were arrested and about to face court over the incident while other demanded their public execution.
