CID arrests paedophile prowling on children in Unawatuna

A man said to be engaged in religious work at a Devalaya in Metaramba, Unawatuwa, Habaraduwa was arrested by a special CID team on Wednesday (10) over his involvement in befriending children and persuading them to engage in sexual activities, video recording them and selling them to foreigners.

The man has been identified as Keerthi Kumara Batagoda.

The Criminal Investigation Department has received video footage of him allegedly engaging in sexual activities with children.The Criminal Investigation Department has received information regarding nine children from the investigation.

The investigation has revealed that the children to be between nine and 15 studying in several schools, including two public schools in the south. According to the Criminal Investigation Department, two children who live in Athurugiriya and Kesbewa are among them.

The Criminal Investigation Department said that this information is only some of the cases that have been revealed and that a large number of other children may have become his victims.

Investigations have revealed that he committed this crime on the children in several rooms in a one-story building behind the devalaya and other hotels. In addition, it is suspected that children have been victims of this crime at his house in Athurugiriya.

The CID team had also raided that house owned by him and they had recovered several items used for this purpose. It is believed that he had purchased this house to be used for such illegal purposes.

Investigation have also revealed that this suspect spends a lot of money on television channels to conduct programmes about himself and when he comes to Colombo to participate in those programmes, he stays at this house in Athurugiriya. Police also said that this person spends millions on an annual parade and is in close contact with powerful politicians as well as high-ranking police officials. A high-ranking police official said that he has about 10 men just for his protection, and that he travels in a convoy. It is believed that children who come to his devalaya and even children in the neighborhood have fallen victim to this man and that he gets round the children by presenting them with TABS and mobile phones.

He takes pictures with these children and the expensive gifts he buys them and asks them to show it to their friends too. He entices these innocent children by gifting them these expensive gifts and children are easily cheated and bought over through such gifts.

Recently, a child at a leading boys school in the south was watching this video with another student on an iPhone when they were caught by a senior student. He had notified the IGP and the investigation was ordered by the IGP based on this information.

According to a senior police officer, investigations are underway to identify the websites and persons who he had been selling these videos overseas and the police is also in the process of obtaining the assistance of the Interpol.

This man is also said to have made several medals for underworld figures claiming that they would be protected from bullets. Such a prominent underworld figure who had paid him Rs. 3.7 million for such a medal was arrested by the Police in the Peliyagoda area. He is said to be an accomplice of Makandure Madush known as Kevuma. The police are also in the process of obtaining a statement from him too.

This man is married and a father of two.

This man is said to be performing his so called ‘miracles’ through the powers of his dead father. The father’s grave is also on the property where his devalaya is situated and he is said to perform all his rituals upon that grave site.