Sri Lanka arrests top judge over sex assault

Judge was taken before a magistrate who ordered his release on personal bail of $3,800

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan police Tuesday made the first ever arrest of a Supreme Court judge who was detained in connection with an alleged sexual assault, an official said.

Sarath de Abrew was arrested following investigations into a complaint that he tried to force a 39-year-old woman to have sex with him on the outskirts of Colombo and beat her up when she refused, a police official said.

The judge, who is in his 60s, was taken before a magistrate who ordered his release on personal bail of half a million rupees ($3,800), police said.

"The magistrate also ordered the judge to cooperate with the Criminal Investigations Department (of the police) and make a statement," a police official said.

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"He had previously refused to make a statement to the police."

Victor Ivan, an author who has written extensively on the country's judiciary, said it was the first time in Sri Lanka's history that a judge from the apex court has been arrested.

Supreme court judges can only be removed through a complicated impeachment process in parliament. Sri Lanka's parliament was dissolved last month ahead of elections in August.