30 May 2022 05:15 pm Views - 35408
The kottu roti maker was arrested being the main suspect in the murder of nine-year-old Fatima Ayesha of Atulugama, Bandaragama, the Panadura Divisional Crime Investigation Unit said.
The 28-year-old main suspect was a resident of Atulugama Muslim Colony area in Bandaragama.
The suspect had been addicted to crystal methamphetamine (ice). The victim went to a meat stall to buy chicken before she had gone missing.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect had left the shop before the girl and was hiding behind a bush, police said.
When the victim was walking towards her home with the meat in hand, the suspect caught her had dragged her into a nearby shrub area.
As per the police complaint, the victim in an attempt to escape from the clutches of the suspect had raised cries for help.
Police said a piece of cloth was stuffed into the little girl's mouth before dragging her a few meters further into a nearby swamp. Then, where he pressed the child firmly against the muddy water pool and wanted to ensure she was dead, he kept his knees on the girl's back. (Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya and Saman Kariyawasam)