7 September 2021 12:00 am Views - 91
By Lakmal Sooriyagoda
Former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen who had been named as the fifth suspect over the death of a 16-year-old domestic aide at his residence was yesterday ordered to be remanded till September 17, after being produced before Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.
Ayesha Sihabdeen, the spouse of Parliamentarian Rishad Bathiudeen and her father were also ordered to be further remanded till September 17 by Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya. However, the brother-in-law of Parliamentarian Rishad Bathiudeen and the broker who brought the deceased girl to Bathiudeen’s house were ordered to be released on bail taking into account separate bail applications filed on behalf of them. Former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen was named as the fifth suspect for allegedly aiding and abetting to commit this crime. Bathiudeen is also currently held in remand custody in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks.
The Court was informed that there are several discrepancies between the first and second post mortem reports about the girl’s death. The second post mortem report has reportedly given an open verdict regarding the death creating uncertainty whether the death was a murder or suicide. On July 26, the Court had issued an order to exhume the body of the 16-year-old girl who died at the house of MP Rishad Bathiudeen, to perform a fresh post mortem. The Court had ordered the health authorities to appoint a panel of medical experts to perform a fresh post mortem into the death of the girl, to ascertain whether the death was a murder or suicide.