Rape suspect flees when remand cell was opened

A suspect who had raped two women and robbed them of jewellery valued Rs.200,000 escaped arrest when he was being transported to the Mahiyangana Court.

The suspect Madusanka Wickremesinghe who had been on remand, had escaped arrest when the Prison Officers opened the Court remand cell to produce him before the Mahiyangana Magistrate. Police said another suspect on remand in connection with drug peddling had also escaped custody, but the prison officers had managed to arrest him.

Police said the suspect who escaped arrest had in 2017 entered a house by force and raped two married women of 24 and 18 years of age and robbed them of their jewellery. He had been arrested by the Mahiyangana Police and remanded.

A team of Prison Officers with the help of the police launched a search operation in the area to arrest the absconding suspect.