Dr. Mohamed Shafi, recently acquitted of allegations regarding the forced sterilization of women, has filed a formal complaint with the Ministry of Public Security today (November 7), requesting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his arrest and subsequent persecution. His complaint accuses authorities of making false statements and preparing forged documents intended to incite discord between communities.
Intense hardships faced over the past five years and six month
In a media statement, Dr. Shafi described the intense hardships he faced over the past five years and six months, during which he was subjected to severe scrutiny. He highlighted the undue stress imposed on himself and his children, mentioning that complaints against him were only pursued after his initial arrest. Dr. Shafi expressed his commitment to preventing similar injustices from happening to others, noting that his complaint extends on behalf of all those who contributed to the efforts against him.
The Kurunegala Magistrate’s Court ruled yesterday (November 6) to acquit Senior Resident Doctor Segu Shihabdeen Mohamed (Dr. Shafi) of the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital. The case, alleging that Dr. Shafi had sterilized mothers during cesarean sections to prevent future pregnancies, was dismissed following a lengthy investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). After a five-year investigation, the CID reported to the Attorney General that no evidence existed to pursue criminal charges against Dr. Shafi. Consequently, the Attorney General officially informed both the court and CID that no further action would be taken.
130 Complained Women Conceived
During the investigation, CID found that nearly 130 women who had filed complaints against Dr. Shafi, suspecting forced sterilization, had subsequently conceived children. Additionally, two mothers volunteered to have their fallopian tubes tested, and the results confirmed that neither had blocked tubes.
Dr. Shafi was initially arrested by the Kurunegala Headquarters Police on May 24, 2019, and subsequently transferred to CID custody for further investigation under orders from the then Acting Inspector General of Police, Chandana Wickramaratne. He was detained for approximately one month under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) while CID conducted further inquiries. Ultimately, CID reported insufficient evidence to prosecute him under the PTA, leading to his release from those charges, though investigations continued for potential Penal Code violations.
During the investigation, the Additional Solicitor General of the Attorney General’s Department, Thusith Mudalige, and Assistant Superintendent of Police B.S. Thisera filed a complaint against Venerable Athuraliye Rathana Thero and the then Deputy Director of the Kurunegala Hospital, Kandangamuwa, for obstruction and threats directed at them during the case’s inquiry.
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