Hishalini case update: Bathiudeen named as suspect

August 23, 2021 at 4:36 PM

Former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen has been named as the fifth suspect in the case filed over the death of a 16-year-old girl who was employed as a domestic maid at his Colombo residence. 

The Parliamentarian’s wife, father-in-law, brother-in-law, and the broker who had brought the maid to Colombo for employment are the other suspects named in the case.

The four other suspects, who were arrested and remanded previously over the death, were further remanded till the 06th of September by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court today. 

The 16-year-old girl from Diyagama had died after being admitted to the Colombo National Hospital with severe burn injuries in July. 

However, the post mortem examination into the death had revealed that the child had been sexually abused over a long period of time. 

The body of the child was later exhumed for a second post mortem examination, which was conducted by a three-member expert panel.

Two other women who had been employed at Bathiudeen’s residence prior to the victim had also revealed to being sexually abused by the MP’s brother-in-law during their employment period. 

Multiple investigations are underway into the death of the 16-year-old girl and other women who had been sexually abused while working at MP Bathiudeen’s residence. (NewsWire)