Teldeniya Magistrate Varuna Karalliedda ordered today (16th) the remand of 130 foreign nationals, including Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Filipino youths, until the 23rd of this month. The individuals were initially arrested on the 12th on suspicion of involvement in cyber fraud.
However, during today’s proceedings, the lawyers representing the police failed to present any substantial facts regarding the incident. The arrests were made by the Kandy police after a major operation, yet no steps have been taken to record statements from any of the suspects.
When defense lawyers raised this issue, the police officer from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), who was present in court, did not provide any response.
The defense, led by President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, along with Amith Perera, Chamal De Alwis, Tharaka Heenkenda, Sankha Amarjith, and Lakshan Udugama, argued once again that the arrested youths had committed no crime. They emphasized that there had been no complaints or evidence of wrongdoing from any part of the world.
The legal team also pointed out that the use of mobile phones and other electronic devices is common among young people, and arresting them without clear charges damages Sri Lanka’s reputation, particularly in its tourism sector.
The case is scheduled to be heard again on the 23rd.
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