Former State Minister for Finance and former Chairman of Dhiraagu, Mohamed Ashmalee who was among dozens of people arrested after a child sex racket was busted, has defended himself by saying that he paid for an oil massage.
The case in Mount Lavinia involves a 15-year-old girl who was sexually exploited via websites and social media outlets. Sri Lanka Police said two websites were used to sell underage girls for sex, adding that they found the phone records of at least one 15-year-old who was allegedly repeatedly raped.
Intercourse with anyone under 18 is considered rape under Sri Lankan law and attracts a maximum jail term of 20 years.
"We have 32 people in custody and 22 of them are known to have had sex with the minor," Sri Lanka Police Deputy Inspector-General Ajith Rohana said, referring to the 15-year-old girl.
In addition to Mohamed Ashmalee, the owners of the two websites, a ruling party politician in Sri Lanka's north-central region, a Buddhist monk, a prominent gem dealer, and a merchant navy captain, was among who has been detained.
Ashmalee appeared in court in Colombo on Monday and was remanded in custody until July 16, a court official told AFP. His lawyer claimed that Ashmalee only meant to book an oil massage after seeing an online advertisement, and had not known of any underage associations.
The case in Mount Lavinia involves a 15-year-old girl who was sexually exploited via websites and social media outlets. Sri Lanka Police said two websites were used to sell underage girls for sex, adding that they found the phone records of at least one 15-year-old who was allegedly repeatedly raped.
Intercourse with anyone under 18 is considered rape under Sri Lankan law and attracts a maximum jail term of 20 years.
"We have 32 people in custody and 22 of them are known to have had sex with the minor," Sri Lanka Police Deputy Inspector-General Ajith Rohana said, referring to the 15-year-old girl.
In addition to Mohamed Ashmalee, the owners of the two websites, a ruling party politician in Sri Lanka's north-central region, a Buddhist monk, a prominent gem dealer, and a merchant navy captain, was among who has been detained.
Ashmalee appeared in court in Colombo on Monday and was remanded in custody until July 16, a court official told AFP. His lawyer claimed that Ashmalee only meant to book an oil massage after seeing an online advertisement, and had not known of any underage associations.
