The testimony of a torture victim - Video

Illegal Arrest, Detention and Torture at Beruwella Police Station

(November 29, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Asian Human Rights Commission produce below the translation from the original Sinhala YouTube presentation of the testimony of Samarasinhage Psupakumara.

S.I. Udayanga of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Beruwella police asked a driver to go for a hire. The driver is Samarasinhage Psupakumara (34). This happened on November 10 2010. The officer, Udayanga said that he want to hire the vehicle to go Ratnapura. The driver asked for Rs.6,500/= for the hire. The officer replied that he was going for an official purpose so, the driver reduced the fare to Rs 5,500/=. On the way, the car stopped near the house of the OIC of the Beruwella Police Station and the driver was asked, "Do you know why I brought you here". The driver replied that it was for the hire. Then officer Udayanga told him, "No, we suspect that you are engaged in robberies together with Lara who is a well known thief in our area."

The driver testified: "I was dragged out of the car and assaulted twice. I was told, let us go up."Officer Udayange told me that he will charge me for having Ganja, Kudu (drugs) or for having bombs. I can kill you," he said. "I was tied and my eyes were covered with a cloth. I was kept half a day like that. After that covering over my eye was removed.

At night people were brought and I was shown to them and they were asked whether I was the thief. The people said, no. There was also a young girl, and she also said that I was not the person.

The next day I was put into another bed and tied. Even eating was allowed only on that condition.

Next day I was brought down. Officer Udayanga told me again that he could kill me. "I can kill you, I can even kill twenty five persons," he said. I told him I was innocent. Then he told me that I would be produced before a High Court. I was threatened like that to make me afraid.

"I was kept tied during the whole week and was brought down on Friday and was told to leave. I asked him whether I would be produced in court. I was told no, that I could go but to keep silent."


For the YouTube presentation please click here.