Mother alleges elite Sri Lanka police unit abducted and disappeared her son

The mother of a disappeared individual expresses confidence that it was the Police Special Task Force (STF) that abducted and disappeared her son two weeks ago in the Horowpathana police area.

The police are accused of not doing enough to reveal the fate that befell the father of two who disappeared from the Horowpathana area, and recording of statements of the aggrieved party only after prisoners’ rights activists sought the court’s assistance.

“I’m quite certain that it was the STF that abducted my son on the evening of the 27th. I’m quite sure about that, because the unidentified group that visited our house on the 27th said on two occasions that they had my son.”

Kumuduni Jayasekara, the mother of the disappeared individual named Kapila Kumara of Gonapeenuwala, made these remarks during a press briefing held by the Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) on 9 April in Colombo.

Revealing that Kapila Kumara disappeared on the evening of 27th March 2024 when he went to the store to purchase a loaf of bread, CPRP President Sudesh Nandimal Silva last week expressed fears about Kapila Kumara’s life.

“The following day, the STF checked the disappeared youth’s house to see if there were any firearms.”

Emphasizing that the unidentified group that visited the house on the Poththawala Road, Akurana, Kahawa, claimed on two occasions that they had her son, Kapila Kumara’s mother Kumudini Jayasekara questioned how they can deny the same now.

When Kapila Kumara’s wife went to the Horowpathana Police Station to file a complaint, her statement had not been recorded. After considering a request made by the CPRP, the Kebithigollewa Magistrate had ordered the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Horowpathana Police Station to record her statement for investigations. It was only after that the police had recorded Kapila Kumara’s wife’s statement.

The CPRP says that the court has summoned the Police Superintendent in charge of the area to appear before the court on 10th May.

Jayasekara further told the media that even though the unidentified group visited her house on two days and did not reveal their identity, once the CPRP started to support her, the group came once again on 7th April showing their identity cards from afar. The group, which claimed that they were ‘in trouble’ following her complaint, had requested her to come to the Pitigala Police Station. When she turned down that request, the OIC of the Pitigala Police Station had come and taken her to the police station where she was asked a number of questions. However, the fate of her son had not been revealed.

“None of these places confirms that they have my son.”

In the video below, Jayasekara, who is deeply shocked by Kapila Kumara’s disappearance and police questioning, levels allegations against the Police STF, and explains the distress she felt at the Pitigala Police Station.

https://youtu.be/1oarxq_ua6s?si=izLFHVL3ZmmeohU-