Out-of-court settlement reached in sexual assault case involving schoolboys
A prominent boys’ school in Colombo at the centre of an apparent sexual assault allegations involving its first XV rugby team has reached a settlement, after the school agreed to the conditions set by the victim’s family. The court-sanctioned agreement effectively closed the case, unless any of the terms are violated within a month, at which point it may be reopened, potentially exposing the school’s authorities to legal consequences.
At the centre of the settlement is a mandatory counselling programme for the entire rugby team. Players will also undergo training focused on preventing sexual misconduct in sports and extracurricular settings.
All parties have agreed not to pursue further legal or administrative action related to the incident, including any claims against the school or its leadership.
The school has been authorised to take disciplinary action against the rugby team’s Manager and Master-in-Charge, pending the outcome of an internal investigation. The accused players are required to issue unconditional written apologies to the victim, explicitly acknowledging the seriousness of their actions occurred during a training camp in April and pledging not to repeat such behaviour.
They have also committed to ensuring that neither the victim nor his family face harassment either online, on campus, or during school activities. The school is expected to play an active role in safeguarding the student’s wellbeing.
Finally, all parties have agreed to accept the findings of the school’s internal inquiry. Disciplinary measures will be taken in accordance with the institution’s values and traditions
“We have decided to allow the students to play in the upcoming match at our son’s request, as this will be the final year for some of the players,” a close relative of the victim the Sunday Times.