06/07/2025
Bold Woman sues Notorious Driver and the
Below is the post copied from the bold woman who took the steps:
What Happened to Me Should Not Happen to Another Woman
Yesterday, on the 3rd July 2025, I experienced something no woman should have to endure. As a lawyer and a citizen, I believe it is my duty to speak out — not only for myself but for every woman who deserves to feel safe in this country. I will invoke the jurisdiction of the court to uphold the rule of law and to show that the Sri Lankan legal system can and will protect us. This is my story.
I visited the VFS visa office in Colombo in preparation for an upcoming holiday. By around 2 p.m., I had completed my work and booked a PickMe ride to Pettah Bus Stand to return to Puttalam. The booking was confirmed, and the app provided the driver’s details: name – Mohamed Fahim, vehicle number – JH 5752.
While I was waiting, a red three-wheeler approached and stopped in front of me. I immediately noticed that its number plate did not match the one I was given, so I did not get in. I was on a phone call at the time and also receiving calls on my second phone. After finishing the first call, I attended the second – only to be met with a stream of verbal abuse.
The caller turned out to be the driver of the red auto, claiming he was the assigned PickMe driver. He shouted at me for not answering his call and scolded me using foul language. As lawyers, we handle many calls every day, and this call came from a personal number, not through the app. More importantly, the vehicle number he arrived in did not match what I was given – so I had every right to refuse the ride.
Despite this, he became aggressive, pressed “start ride” on the app without my consent, and repeatedly tried to force me to get into his vehicle. I ignored him and instead got into another three-wheeler nearby. However, the nightmare didn’t end there.
He began to follow me in his vehicle and came up alongside mine, screaming abusive and filthy words in Tamil:
> “You pr******te! Coming from a village and acting smart? You think you're something? Pay me my fee! I'll see how you get out of Colombo. I won't let you go.”
Frightened but firm, I asked my new driver where the nearest police station was. He directed me to Maligawatta Police Station, where I immediately lodged a complaint. The OIC of Maligawatta was highly responsive, and although it took some time to trace the perpetrator — as he had registered under a different vehicle — the police finally located him, summoned him, and accepted my formal complaint. I’ve been asked to attend the station again on Tuesday as the complainant.
Many might think I could have simply walked away or asked for a warning to be issued. As a lawyer, I could have used my social recognition to brush this off quietly. But that is not justice. That is not the solution — especially for women without such privileges.
The only solution is the rule of law.
If we, as educated women, are not ready to stand up and take legal action when our dignity is violated, how can we expect vulnerable or voiceless women to do the same?
Therefore, I am pursuing both a criminal case against the individual offender and a civil claim against PickMe for vicarious liability. Platforms and companies must be held accountable for the actions of their agents.
Women in Sri Lanka deserve to feel safe. The law exists to protect us — and I intend to use it.
Nadhiha Abbas.
