Statement recorded from Amal Perera over turtle theft
December 19, 2013
Popular local artist Amal Perera explained to the Kosgoda Police today that he had gone to the Turtle Conservation Centre in Kosgoda with a Sri Lankan friend living in Maldives to purchase an albino turtle worth Rs 35 million, in order to perform a ritual in Maldives.
An albino turtle from a rare species worth Rs 35 million that was kept in the Turtle Conservation Centre in Kosgoda was allegedly stolen on 17 December.
Police decided to question popular local artiste Amal Perera over the theft of a rare female albino turtle, after it was revealed that Perera, accompanied by a Maldivian National, was interested in purchasing the turtle for Rs. 35 million.
Perera who appeared before the Kosgoda Police today and was questioned for almost 3 hours, informed the Kosgoda Police that he had accompanied his friend named ‘Supun” who is a Sri Lankan national and a resident of Maldives, to the Turtle Conservation Centre and had not carried any money with him at the time.
According to reports Maldivians believe in a superstition in which writing the name of one’s enemy on the back of an albino turtle and releasing it into the water, could help to murder the enemy.
It is suspected that the albino turtle may have been stolen to murder a prominent person in the Maldives. (Ceylon Today Online)
December 19, 2013 Popular local artist Amal Perera explained to the Kosgoda Police today that he had gone to the Turtle Conservation Centre in Kosgoda with a Sri Lankan friend living in Maldives to purchase an albino turtle worth Rs 35 million, in order to perform a ritual in Maldives.
An albino turtle from a rare species worth Rs 35 million that was kept in the Turtle Conservation Centre in Kosgoda was allegedly stolen on 17 December.
Police decided to question popular local artiste Amal Perera over the theft of a rare female albino turtle, after it was revealed that Perera, accompanied by a Maldivian National, was interested in purchasing the turtle for Rs. 35 million.
Perera who appeared before the Kosgoda Police today and was questioned for almost 3 hours, informed the Kosgoda Police that he had accompanied his friend named ‘Supun” who is a Sri Lankan national and a resident of Maldives, to the Turtle Conservation Centre and had not carried any money with him at the time.
According to reports Maldivians believe in a superstition in which writing the name of one’s enemy on the back of an albino turtle and releasing it into the water, could help to murder the enemy.
It is suspected that the albino turtle may have been stolen to murder a prominent person in the Maldives. (Ceylon Today Online)
