When iProbono took on Mira’s* case in February 2025, she had already spent five long years fighting a false criminal charge for something she didn’t do.

Our legal team supported her and managed to get the court to discharge the case in six months, ending her long ordeal.

This was not only the end of an exhausting battle, but the restoration of dignity for this mother of three.

A Life Disrupted: The Case of a Domestic Worker

Mira is a domestic worker and mother of three school-going children. She was separated from her husband, a habitual drug user, and was bearing the responsibility of providing for her family.

In 2019, she bought a three-wheeler, a small but hard-earned step toward financial stability. But just five days later, her husband used it to commit a robbery. Despite no evidence to link Mira to the crime, the police named her as the primary accused.

Dragged into the legal proceedings, Mira was forced to appear in court repeatedly over the next five years, causing her to lose time and livelihood, and also suffer severe mental anguish.

A Turning Point

In February 2025, the case was referred to iProbono. Our panel lawyers argued that there was no factual basis to implicate Mira, and that justice could not be served by prosecuting an innocent woman.

By July 2025, the court ordered her discharge. As Mira said, “I suffered a lot because of this case, I am truly thankful to iProbono that now I have peace in my life.”

The Burden of a Broken System

Mira’s ordeal is not unique. Across Sri Lanka, especially among women and marginalised communities, people are too often drawn into criminal proceedings without credible evidence.

They are implicated by association, circumstance, or systemic failures. With little access to legal representation, knowledge or financial resources, many remain trapped in the process for years, unable to clear their names.

As Shevindri Manuel, iProbono’s Program Manager who represented Mira in court, noted, “The very justice system that is meant to protect them is burdening them instead – financially, emotionally, and socially – pushing them further into hardship.”

Why This Work Matters

Mira’s story is proof that access to justice can transform lives. It shows that when vulnerable people find support, they can live without fear, just as Mira did. She is now focused on ensuring her children get through school and providing the best opportunities she can for their future.
Stories like Mira’s remind us that justice delayed is justice denied. Share this story to amplify our work, and help build a just society for everyone.

*Name changed to protect identity.