Principal ordered to pay Rs. 1 Mn compensation for torture, abuse

Kalutara High Court Judge Pradeep N. Abeyratne ordered a school principal to pay Rs. one million compensation to a student. The principal pleaded guilty to charges of beating, manhandling, torturing and neglecting a 15-year-old child.

The principal paid the amount in front of the judge yesterday (14). In addition to this, the judge also ordered to pay Rs.1,500 as Government fees. If the amount is not paid, the Judge ordered three months of imprisonment with light labor and if the compensation is not paid, the Judge also ordered 24 months of imprisonment with hard labor.

This punishment was given to Sarojini Nirmala Kothalawala, the former principal of Dodangoda Navodya School.

The Attorney General had filed charges against her on subjecting a minor to cruelty on or around June 26, 2013 at Dodangoda.During the trial, it was revealed that the Dodangoda Police had held a lantern competition and exhibition at the Thudugala junction for the Poson Festival that year and a rotating lantern in a bottle was presented by this student representing the Dodangoda Navodya Vidyalaya. He won the first place.

After the student received the cash cheque and the certificate on the stage, the principal took the gifts from him saying that it was a design presented by the school.

Then she publicly attacked the student at school saying that she did not allow him to get the winning gifts. In the trial, it was revealed that even the other teachers had ignored it and the student had not been able to study the technology stream as he wanted.

Although this is an offence punishable by fine and imprisonment, the Supreme Court considered that the accused principal was adjudged the best principal in the Kalutara Education Zone in 2018. She contributed to raising the average results in 2016 and 2017, and had not done such offences during her 29 years of service. The Judge mentioned that she would be given a lenient sentence considering her promise not to engage in such offences again.

State Counsel Malsha Madavalagama led the prosecution and Kanishka Wanniachchi advocated for the defendant.

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