Suspects arrested for assaulting Mirissa tourists released on bail

Court yesterday released the nine suspects arrested for assaulting British and Dutch tourists and harassing a foreign woman in Mirissa of the southern coast last month.

The suspects have allegedly assaulted Dutch and British tourists including two women at the Mirissa beach in Weligama on 8 April when the tourists resisted the suspects attempting to sexually assault the women.

When the case was taken up today, Matara Chief Magistrate Pavithra Sanjeewani Pathirana released the suspects on two personal sureties of Rs. 200,000 each.

The suspects who were in remand custody since their arrest last month were scheduled to be produced before an identification parade on Friday. 

Earlier the court has ordered to bring the assaulted foreign tourists back to the country at the government’s expense for the identification parade. Since the aggrieved parties were not present in court, the Magistrate canceled the identification parade and released the suspects on bail. The Magistrate strongly warned the suspects not to behave in a manner causing harassment to the tourists visiting the coastal area. In addition the Magistrate ordered the suspects to appear before the police on the last Sunday of every month. The case will be taken up for hearing again on 8 October. (Colombopage)