2 Chinese women fined for loitering on the streets

25 January 2012 11:29 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 54 Bookmark

CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA Follow

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Two Chinese women who pleaded guilty to loitering on a street in Kollupitiya at night in a way to lure people were ordered to pay a fine of Rs.50 by a Colombo Court yesterday.

The two women were arrested by the Kollupitiya police while they were wandering near Sea Avenue in Kollupitiya at night.

The Kollupitiya police further charged that when they were arrested by police they were unable to give a reasonable answer to the charges of loitering in a public place.

Police further charged that the accused had committed a punishable offence which comes under section 3(B) of the Vagrancy Ordinance. After taking into consideration the provisions of the act, Magistrate Kanishka Wijeratne ordered them to pay a fine of Rs.50 each. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)

Comments - 54

sunild Thursday, 26 January 2012 09:52 AM

Waw....this fine of RS 50 is the joke of the day.

2 3

Kangarro Thursday, 26 January 2012 06:50 AM

Ya I agree with you ...............

2 27

lankatarzan Thursday, 26 January 2012 07:02 AM

This is Sri Lankan Law

4 40

Ramakumar Thursday, 26 January 2012 07:07 AM

I am a lankan, Is it an offence to loiter on public place ( i mean on road) Is any any to clarify us like we ordinary layman.

1 13

faqi Thursday, 26 January 2012 07:09 AM

This magistrate was correct . A token fine as no crime was committed. The police only thought they were going to commit a crime but in fact was no crime committed. Why fine people who go for a walk at night? I thought we live in a free country. The magistrate should have fined the Police, for wasting his time.
What was the crime? walking at night?

2 18

Jay Thursday, 26 January 2012 07:36 AM

Ramakumar... look the the 'vagrancy ordinance', This is another outdated colonial legality that Sri Lanka is hanging on to. This is often used against people who appear to be soliciting sex. As prostitution is a hard one to prove by a cop ( because the person who is being charged needs to appear or be seen taking money for sex) they prefer to use this charge of ''walking without a purpose''. For Sri Lankan sex workers who are at the mercy of the cops and the magistrates and are unaware of the law... the situation is much more grave.

1 6

Don Thursday, 26 January 2012 07:47 AM

How to identify the just walking and loitering?

1 6

Dee Thursday, 26 January 2012 07:59 AM

They can be employed in one of the many 'chinese projects'

2 3

Sam Thursday, 26 January 2012 08:20 AM

Chinese goods are indeed very cheap, and so are the fines!!!

1 9

Mohan Bandara Thursday, 26 January 2012 08:24 AM

Tourism - what a joke not the fine but arresting them when they were on the streets. If these bunch of jokers go to a country like Hong Kong they will be amazed to see the young and old that roam the streets.
IGP needs to be taught and the cops needs to be educated what you call tourism.

2 9

William Thursday, 26 January 2012 08:35 AM

If loitering is an offence and the police is concerned about it what about brothels operating under the pretext of Chinese Massage parlours down duplication road, 55th lane, Marine Drive and so on. OIC Kollupitiya and Bambalapitiya over to you.

1 7

Hemanthi Thursday, 26 January 2012 09:38 AM

The outdated law needs to revised to suit the current trends. Freedom to move is a fundamental human right and why women are restricted on moving about. Clear sexual discrimination.

2 7

Shelton Fernando Thursday, 26 January 2012 09:44 AM

Does this mean one cannot go out and walk around freely just because its night? Does one have to have a reason to walk around? Is a formal approval required? If they do is it a crime?

1 11

sdherath Thursday, 26 January 2012 09:44 AM

loitering??? in public places, this is a free country and we can walk about and wander as we and anyone wish. LTTE is gone i thought

4 35

Patriotic Thursday, 26 January 2012 06:46 AM

should have fined a half a .cent , which cannot be found now

0 4

willowillo Thursday, 26 January 2012 10:00 AM

Chinese products are so cheap and poor in quality???

7 2

Lalit Thursday, 26 January 2012 10:13 AM

Whatever perspective you look at it; there is an element of cost involved in the whole juridical process of particular case.

1 4

kan Thursday, 26 January 2012 10:07 AM

Joke of the day!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 4

Roy Rogers Thursday, 26 January 2012 01:04 PM

a fine of Rs. 50/- hmmmmm, too much no!!!!!!

0 2

Noel Thursday, 26 January 2012 01:20 PM

That means we have to have formal approval from ministry of defence to walk along sea side?

0 1

Love SriLanka Thursday, 26 January 2012 01:50 PM

I think this is a mistake..... I suould be a Rs. 0.50 (As its difficult to find Rs, 0.25 coins)

0 0

Jambu Thursday, 26 January 2012 01:51 PM

Murdereres are escaping people loitering without a reason in the roads are being arrested...this is the beauty of Law and order in SriLanka....

0 1

ajith Thursday, 26 January 2012 01:42 PM

Police are Jealous!!!!!!

0 0

Tuan Thursday, 26 January 2012 02:01 PM

Sri Lanka is a Tourist Heaven / Paradise, so what is problem when they walk at night like in China and Japan. This is a kind of joke. police should focus their duty decently rather not to discriminate people like this. Their High Ranking Officers should educate them.
Police dont have the rights to ask them . It means people are not allow to loit at night. Really funny

0 0

alfred Thursday, 26 January 2012 03:29 PM

I thought the Taliban are only in Afghanistan. The magistrate is right. This should cause soem amount of shame among the cops for bringing to court people for no valid reason. When money spending tourist are being raped by politicos, why bother about these women ?

0 1

xlntgson Saturday, 28 January 2012 01:58 AM

# alfred, I agree with you!

0 0

German Tourist Saturday, 28 January 2012 06:25 AM

Sri Lanka - a land like no other.

0 0

Nodrog Thursday, 26 January 2012 04:59 AM

Sure if you don't mind contracting an exotic disease.

7 21

mohan Thursday, 26 January 2012 12:17 AM

not even cover police jeep fuel cost :)

5 128

gihan Thursday, 26 January 2012 12:31 AM

What a joke.....wasting police time and court time...for Rs 50/-....

3 140

gajan99 Thursday, 26 January 2012 01:29 AM

Lie, they were just walking and getting fresh air.

2 89

Nodrog Thursday, 26 January 2012 02:05 AM

was balance of fine paid in-kind?

1 102

Inland Revenue Thursday, 26 January 2012 02:02 AM

Should have asked for more yuan.

6 55

Wara Thursday, 26 January 2012 02:12 AM

Aiyo...

1 35

sam de zilva Thursday, 26 January 2012 02:22 AM

How come police does not show the same interest in picking up hundreds of beggars wondering the streets day and night?

5 95

Rumma Thursday, 26 January 2012 03:42 AM

The fine is actually 1000 rupees. 50 paid in cash, rest in some other way... ha ha..

3 49

asoka abeywardena Thursday, 26 January 2012 03:55 AM

probably they have refused to satisfy the cops...who knows...after all most of our cops are corrupted...

5 77

AZ Thursday, 26 January 2012 04:13 AM

Wow! our police force has put the FBI to shame by this brave act

2 33

fazli Thursday, 26 January 2012 04:04 AM

disgusting. Its school kids pocket money.

2 29

oops!!! Thursday, 26 January 2012 04:09 AM

This is legendary!!!!!!!

1 17

dik Thursday, 26 January 2012 04:21 AM

Can I pay the Rs 50, and take them home? ha ha ha..

6 44

Tharaka Chanaka Wednesday, 25 January 2012 11:51 PM

Is this the joke of the year?

5 164

Daya Thursday, 26 January 2012 04:56 AM

Chinese love on this country even alter the mind set of the judge to be little lenient on the verdict. Loitering public place won't it be a punishable criminal offence than a civil case

3 14

raj Thursday, 26 January 2012 05:15 AM

there are people loitering for dowry in Sri Lanka.

1 10

barongeorge Thursday, 26 January 2012 05:18 AM

We have had so many Ministers of Law in this country but non of them were able to look in to revamping entire law system in the country to suit the present situation, they all took all the benifits filled their pockets. Thouh people say we are heading for the mirracle of Asia, It is being proved that we are heading for disaster.

1 17

rosie Thursday, 26 January 2012 05:18 AM

Regret to say - the judge who presided this case must be a joker.

6 14

naswaf Thursday, 26 January 2012 05:43 AM

you guys never punish people who should be punished.....but punishing the innocents.............what a joke the police screening....wow keep it up.

1 14

citizen1 Thursday, 26 January 2012 05:55 AM

Ooooooooooh yeahhhhh!!

1 24

citizen1 Thursday, 26 January 2012 05:57 AM

The fine is not worth the paper it was written on. What can you buy for Rs. 50/= these days? Not even toilet paper..

1 10

Nina H Kamal Thursday, 26 January 2012 05:49 AM

Rs. 50/- wow dangerously insane - there is something seriously wrong with the entire force!

1 16

A W Abdulkany Thursday, 26 January 2012 05:59 AM

The spirit and the fine were misunderstood by many. It has to be looked in a different perspective. The magistrate has handled the case in a more dignified way. Bad comments may indigny women if there innocent. All women who roam the highs are not bad women; the police chief should educate constables who are in night duties to treat the foreigners with respect and dignity. As Sri Lankans we respect women.

3 22

gone crazy Thursday, 26 January 2012 05:54 AM

i give 100 pocket money hehehehe

2 9

Naa Flower Thursday, 26 January 2012 06:38 AM

First of all the cops should not have arrested the two woman? unless they were caught RED in doing some crime like prostitution? If sri lanka has the interest to boost tourism they must allow the foreigners free to do what ever they want as far as they don't do anything against Sri Lankan law. Foreigners come to Sri lanka to enjoy their vacation. If you happen to go to china or any other Asian cities for that matter there is night life? where as Sri Lanka doesn't have a night life? This is an unnecessary move by the Kollupitiya police and even if they have caught them either they should have dropped them in their hotel or left them in the morning. not necessary to produce in the courts. This might discourage tourism which the Sri Lankan Government vehemently promoting at the moment. Why not care about Sri Lankan prostitutes loitering in the streets or crack down BROTHELS run by reputed, influential people???

3 32

Nan Thursday, 26 January 2012 06:40 AM

50 bucks = plain tea-y cigarette 1y..

3 7

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