• The 34- yr.-old suspected gunman who was disguised as a Lawyer, arrested in Palaviya by STF
• The murder weapon was hidden inside a hollowed-out Code of Criminal Procedure which was brought by a female suspect also disguised as an attorney
• Gunman had left from a nearby gate – one of several exits – telling of a shooting inside Court, before Police closed off gates for search   
• Gunman wanted over several recent shootings including in Dehiwala while the woman found to be involved in drug dealing in Negombo 
• Probe being conducted by 5 teams including Keselwatta Police and CCD with CID assistance, statements being recorded from judicial officers, relevant individuals

The state of Law and Order in the country has been brought into the public spotlight, following a shooting inside the Number Five Magistrate’s Court (MC) in the Aluthkade Courts Complex last morning (19) where a suspected drug trafficker and organised criminal Sanjeewa Kumara Samararatne alias ‘Ganemulla Sanjeewa’, who was shot dead near the witness stand by an assailant who was disguised as a lawyer. 

This is barely 12 hours since a family of three was gunned down near the Kadewatta Junction in Middeniya on Tuesday night.

According to the Police, the victim of the Aluthkade Courts Complex shooting had been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital for treatment and pronounced dead. The main suspect who had escaped the crime scene was identified as 34-year-old Mohamed Azman Sheriffdeen and was arrested in the Palaviya area in Puttalam by the Police Special Task Force (STF) following a manhunt last evening. 

Police said that the assailant who carried out the shooting had entered the Court premises pretending to be a lawyer, disguised as an attorney. However, the suspect had managed to flee the scene following the shooting. Meanwhile, the Police have also discovered the revolver-type firearm which was used in the shooting inside the Courts Complex. 

It has been revealed that the revolver was allegedly smuggled into the Court premises by the suspect by concealing it inside a hollowed-out book, with the pages cut out in the shape of the gun. Meanwhile, it is also reported that the gunman had used a copy of the Code of Criminal Procedure for this purpose.  

The Police said that they have identified a female suspect who aided and abetted the shooting. Speaking during a special press conference held in Colombo, Police Media Spokesperson, Senior Superintendent of Police Buddhika Manathunga said that the suspected woman, who was also disguised as a lawyer and had entered the Courts Complex, had brought the gun which was used in the assassination, into the Court. 

He confirmed that the revolver was smuggled into the Court premises by the suspected woman by concealing it inside a hollowed-out book. Furthermore, Manathunga stated that several gates are available to access the Court premises, and added that the assailant had fled the scene from a nearby gate while telling other people that ‘there is a shooting inside’. 

He also claimed that although the Police immediately took action to close the gates and conducted a search covering the Court premises, the suspect had already left the premises amidst the tension of the situation. According to the Police, all this occurred while the Police were also working to assure the security of the Magistrate, prevent any escape of other suspects within the Court premises, and engage in several more related procedures.

Manathunga also stated that the suspects, specifically the gunman and the woman in question, have already been identified. 

He revealed that the gunman is a suspect wanted in connection with several recent shootings and is currently undergoing legal proceedings for those incidents. The gunman is believed to be the same gunman responsible for the recent double murder at Watarappala, Dehiwala.

According to Manathunga, it has been revealed that the woman who had brought the weapon used in the shooting is a suspected drug dealer from Negombo.

The Keselwatta Police is conducting investigations along with the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) with the assistance of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), according to Manathunga, who further added that five investigative teams have been deployed to probe the incident. 

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has meanwhile ordered the Court’s Registrar to provide the Police with all the necessary closed circuit television (CCTV) camera footage to facilitate the investigation. The Keselwatta Police presented facts of the case before Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali last afternoon. Police informed the Court that investigations had commenced immediately after the crime was committed. The Police requested the Court to issue orders to release the CCTV footage to support the ongoing investigation, further stating that statements are currently being recorded from judicial officers and other relevant individuals. The Chief Magistrate accepted the request and ordered the release of the required CCTV footage to the Police for investigative purposes.

Further, Manathunga added that the Police has taken measures together with the relevant authorities to prevent the possible migration of the suspects.  

‘Ganemulla Sanjeewa’ who was remanded in custody at the Boosa Prison, was escorted to Court last morning by Prison officials for Court proceedings.

‘Ganemulla Sanjeewa’ was a suspect in 19 murder cases, according to the Police.