Three more schoolboys have been arrested in connection to the sexual abuse and gangrape of a Grade 11 schoolgirl in Thanamalvila, it was reported.
According to the Lankadeepa newspaper, the three boys, aged 15 and 16 years old, are students of a school in Lunugamvehera.
The suspects were arrested by the Lunugamvehera Police yesterday based on statements recorded from the victim.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the schoolboys were friends of the victim and had sexually abused her when she had attended an event at a school in Lunugamvehera in April this year.
The sexual abuse and gangrape of the victim had come to light after the victim’s mother had filed a complaint in this regard with the Thanamalvila Police.
17 schoolboys were initially arrested for having sexually abused and gang-raped the victim on seven occassions during the course of last year.
Following their arrest, the principal and three teachers from the victim’s school, who had concealed the incident to safeguard the reputation of the school, were later arrested over the incident.
The schoolboys initially arrested are in remand custody, while the principal and teachers arrested for concealing the incident were released on bails of two sureties of Rs. 200,000 each. (Newswire)