Good Samaritan taken for a ride

Yasaratne Gamage and Anuradhapura Central Special

A woman was remanded for cheating a man who befriended her for Rs 150,000 when she was produced before Anuradhapura Additional Magistrate Chandima Edirimanne recently.

The police producing a B report to court reported the drama which led to her arrest.

The suspect, Nisansala Sewwandi Fernando of Pandulagama, had conducted a friendship with a man from Balangoda over the phone.

She then told him of her family problems and poor financial condition to earn sympathy and assistance. She then asked for Rs 200,000 from him to overcome her economic problems.

The man who sympathasised with her, stole his mother’s jewellery and pawned them at a bank in Anuradhapura to get Rs 150,000 to give it to the woman.

The women had gone on the pretext of giving this cash to her mother leaving the man waiting for her but had never returned.

Suspecting something amiss the man complained to the Anuradhapura police. The police phoned the woman saying that the balance Rs 50, 000 of the promised 200,000 is ready and asked her to come to Anuradhapura town to get it. Without any suspicion the woman came to get the money when the police apprehended and handcuffed her.

Investigations revealed that the suspect had already spent Rs 75,000 to buy a TV, VCD player and a wardrobe. Probes further revealed that the woman is married to an army soldier and posed in different names. Anuradhapura police is investigating.