By The Sunday Morning News Desk A Chinese tourist claims a notorious politician in the South gang-raped her after she sought his assistance to take action against a man who duped her for a large sum of money. The accused politician is facing litigation in another case of allegedly abusing a 16-year-old girl. The tourist told The Sunday Morning that she was sexually abused, harassed, and raped between February and April this year. She said she eventually filed a police complaint and also informed the Chinese Embassy in Colombo. The Chinese Embassy in Colombo confirmed The Sunday Morning that it had received a complaint and was expecting a fair probe. “The Consular Department of the Embassy has been informed about the case and its developments. We hope and believe that the Sri Lankan Police and the judiciary will be able to handle the case fairly and efficiently,” Chinese Embassy in Colombo Spokesperson and Chief of Political Section Luo Chong told The Sunday Morning. The lawyer appearing for the victim, who did not wish to be named as the case was ongoing, said the Police raised some doubts over the complaint made by the tourist. However, he noted that a “B” report had been filed in court, and as a result, the suspect should have been arrested and produced in court. “They should have followed the due procedure, but they did not. The court would have given bail to the suspect if there was some doubt. What is important is that the procedure is followed,” the lawyer said. The victim said she arrived in Sri Lanka last August, wanting to take a break from her work in China. While staying on rent in Galle, she had looked at the possibility of obtaining permanent residency (PR) and opening a restaurant. However, her plans ran into troubled waters within a few weeks. The owner of the guest house she was staying at had obtained a large sum of money from her to setup the restaurant, but duped her into obtaining a substandard property. “He began to threaten and intimidate me when I asked the money back. I filed a complaint with the Police, but nothing was happening and I desperately needed the money back,” she said. As things began to get tense between the two, the owner ordered her to vacate the premises. She was then introduced to the notorious politician by a woman in the area, saying he would be able to help her. The woman had advised her to move into a room at the politician’s house and stay there paying a rent, assuring that she will be safe. What the victim did not know at the time was that the notorious politician was already out on bail over a rape case involving a minor. The politician befriended the tourist, promising that he will resolve her issue. However, later on, he had begun to demand sexual favours. “On the very first night, the politician came outside my room with his media secretary. The media secretary told me the politician liked me and showed me pictures of his thuggery. I was told he had control over the Police and the legal system. The politician then kissed me and I submitted out of fear,” she claimed. The politician had then introduced her to several people as his girlfriend and she claimed she did not object out of fear. The politician had later attempted to force her to have an intimate relationship with his driver while being his girlfriend, which she refused to do. As days went on, she realised she did not want to continue with the forced relationship and looked for a way out. The Chinese woman said that she eventually moved out of the politician’s house and got another location on rent. While there, an issue arose in February this year over her visa and she approached the politician for help. The politician had agreed to help her, but demanded that she get intimate with him and his driver or that she will be deported over the visa issue. “Out of fear, I gave in, but I had no choice. I was forced,” she claimed. She went back to China in March and returned a few weeks later to sub-lease the restaurant property and return to China for good. The Chinese woman claimed that on her return, she was gang-raped on at least two occasions by the politician and the driver after she returned to Galle. The last incident had reportedly taken place on 30 April. Before raping her with his driver, the politician had reportedly told her that he had a court case on that very day involving allegations he had raped a minor. After initially fearing for her life, in the event she approached the Police, the Chinese woman decided to lodge a police complaint on 3 May. The Police had recorded her complaint (Case No. 10674) and also collected samples from the guest house she was staying for tests and taken her to the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) for a medical test. The Chinese woman had left the country that very day but returned a few days later on a request made by the Police to provide more information. While the Chinese woman has since returned to China, it is understood that the case has been brought to notice of the Southern Province DIG’s office. “I am not sure the JMO test will show anything as she had reported the rape to the Police three days after. But they did collect samples from the guest house,” the lawyer said. Meanwhile, the lawyer said that there seems to have been an attempt to avoid arresting the suspect, as doing so would have cancelled the bail already given to him for the rape case involving the minor. The case is to be heard again later this month. *The names of the accused and victim have been withheld as the case is ongoing