The police will present a cash award to the 20-year-old youth who filmed the assault of a four-year-old girl by her 45-year-old stepfather in the infamous Welioya child cruelty case.
The video, which went viral on social media and other platforms, played a crucial role in the arrest of the suspect and the exposure of the incident. The video shows the suspect, Munasingha Kodikaralage Chaminda, alias Kukul Chaminda, assaulting the child while feeding her. Ignoring the youth’s warnings that he would hand over the video to the police, Chaminda brazenly responded, “Go on, video it. I am not afraid of the police.”
Chaminda is currently held in Anuradhapura prison. The child has been placed under the care of the North Western Province Department of Probation and Child Care Services at a child care centre. The Welioya Police referred the child to the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) at District General Hospital, Mullaitivu, following the court’s instructions.
Welioya Police Acting OIC SI Gunathilaka stated that a cash award is being arranged by police headquarters on the initiative of IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon. The award will be given to the youth in recognition of his bravery and contribution to stopping child cruelty. “If he had not released this to social media, this cruelty might have continued unchecked,” said IGP Tennakoon.
The Circuit Magistrate Court of Padaviya has remanded the main suspect and three women, including the child’s mother, until June 19. The women are charged with aiding and abetting the cruelty. Another man has also been remanded for providing shelter to the suspects.
