Colombo, Sept. 12 – Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanka S. Bodaragama yesterday (11) ordered the remand of a Madagascar woman accused of trafficking her fellow citizens and forcing them into prostitution in Sri Lanka. She will remain in custody until 25 September.
The suspect was arrested by the Police Anti-Human Trafficking and Investigation Unit and produced in court on charges of luring women from Madagascar with false promises of employment in Sri Lanka, before coercing them into sex work.
Police told the court that the arrest followed a complaint lodged with the Ministry of Defence by one of the victims. Investigators also revealed that the accused had been living in Sri Lanka for over five months without a valid visa.
While addressing the court from the dock, the suspect pleaded for pardon and asked to be released so she could return to Madagascar. Magistrate Bodaragama, however, ruled that her release could not be considered until the investigation is complete.
The court further directed police to notify the Embassy of Madagascar regarding the victims linked to the case.
