Court told no illegal activity at ‘Prem Nivasa’ children home; nun cleared

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday that there was no evidence of illegal activities occurred at the ‘Prem Nivasa’ Children’s Home of Missionaries of Charity in Rawathawatta, Moratuwa.

When the case against the shelter was taken up for hearing in the court the CID told the court that the children at the ‘Prem Nivasa’ have been adopted by locals and foreign nationals according to the Sri Lankan laws through the court.

Acting on a tip, the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) with the assistance of the police raided the shelter for pregnant girls and the police arrested the caretaker nun, Sister Mary Eliza and another person.

The suspects have been charged with failure to disclose information on an underage pregnant mother and a baby.

The NCPA submitted a report to the court that said the Attorney General has advised to release the nun and accordingly, the Colombo Additional Magistrate released Sister Mary Eliza.

The Court also ordered the NCPA to release all documents seized from Sister Mary Eliza including her passport, for further investigations.

The NCPA raid angered the Catholic Church of Sri Lanka which said it would take legal action against the Child Authority.

An angry Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith proclaimed that he would not take part in state festivals during Christmas time since an injustice was caused to the nuns of the Missionaries of Charity by the raid.

The government ordered a special investigation on the arrest and CID conducted the investigation under the instructions of Police Chief, Inspector General of Police (IGP) N.K. Ilangakoon and produced the report that was presented to the court yesterday.

The ‘Prem Nivasa’ provides shelter for abandoned children and unwedded pregnant mothers and places children for adoption according to the country’s rules and regulations, the Catholic Church of Sri Lanka said. (Colombo Page)