• The agency lost contact with her until her husband informed them on February 1, 2024

In response to recent allegations surrounding the employment of Kumuduni Sandya Kumari Senevirathna as a housemaid in Saudi Arabia, her job recruitment agent ‘S.S.J Travels (Pvt) Ltd’ has stepped forward with a detailed clarification regarding her employment history through the Saudi Embassy in Colombo.

According to the agent’s statement, Senevirathna was recruited by their agency for a housemaid position in Saudi Arabia, under the sponsorship of Mr. Abdullah Saud Bin Marzuq Alotaibi. She departed for Saudi Arabia on May 21, 2023, but her stay with the initial sponsor was short-lived as she reportedly fled without providing any reasons on May 28, 2023, and sought refuge at the Sri Lankan Mission in Riyadh.

Following this incident, the Saudi Arabian agent managed to arrange another sponsor for Senevirathna on June 4, 2023. However, her tenure with the second sponsor was also fraught with issues, as she allegedly failed to fulfil her duties properly. Despite this, the agent did not opt for deportation, but instead offered her another chance by finding yet another sponsor.

Unfortunately, Senevirathna absconded from her second sponsor on November 15, 2023, prompting the sponsor to file a case against her on November 19, 2023. Subsequently, the agency lost contact with her until her husband informed them on February 1, 2024, that she was in the Sri Lankan Embassy safe house.

This account from the job agent sheds light on the complexities of Senevirathna’s employment in Saudi Arabia, indicating that she had multiple opportunities for employment but chose to run away from her sponsors on both occasions. The agent’s response provides additional context to the situation, highlighting the challenges faced by both the employee and the employer in such cases.