Suspect arrested after confessing to missing 22-year-old’s murder

Police have arrested a suspect who reportedly murdered the 22-year-old girl who was reported missing on Sunday in Gampola, as per a confession made by him.

Accordingly, 22-year-old Fathima Munawwara, a resident of Weligalla, Elpitiya in the Gampola area, was missing for six days before a 24-year-old area resident reportedly confessed to her murder today (12 May).

Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa said that the suspect in question was a goat herder, and, upon questioning, had revealed that he had come across the girl when she had walked by him while he was cutting grass in the area, gathering food for the goats.

Investigations thus far have revealed that the suspect had attempted to molest 22-year-old Fathima at the time, and had later taken her to a forested area after she rejected his advances, where he later killed her and buried the body.

Police are, however, yet to recover the girl’s body, Thalduwa said.

Fathima Munawwara was last seen while on her way to work, walking in search of a bus from her house towards the Weligalla town.

CCTV footage obtained from the Elpitiya Mosque by the Gampola Police, albeit initially showing the missing girl walking towards the Weligalla town, later shows no trace of the girl.