DPA/Colombo
A Sri Lankan court acquitted an Indian nun from Mother Theresa’s Missionaries of Charity of involvement in child-trafficking yesterday, officials said.
Head of Mother Theresa’s Missionaries of Charity, sister Mary Eliza (second left) flanked by Catholic nuns, walks to a Colombo court yesterday
Sister Mary Eliza was arrested on November 23 at a children’s home in Moratuwa, 20 kilometres south of the capital.
She was accused of illegally sending children for adoption overseas.
“The court was told that all children released for adoption had been so legally and therefore the nun was acquitted,” a lawyer for the Catholic church said.
The Criminal Investigations Department told the Colombo Magistrate’s Court that no illegal activities had taken place at the home.
The nun’s arrest prompted a strong protest from the Catholic Church, which said the allegations were false.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said he would to boycott all state functions until the issue was resolved.
A Buddhist political party accused the church of putting pressure on the judicial system to secure the release of the nun.
