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Customs officer murder case : Govt. Analyst testifies on pistol and bullets

by Kumar Wethasinghe

Burn marks remain around pistol shot injuries even if fired through a glass at a close range, said the Assistant Government Analyst Gamini Madawala during his expert evidence before the Trial at Bar hearing the Sujith Perera Murder case at Hulftsdorp.

The Trial at Bar comprised High Court Judge Sri Skandarajah (President), Eric Basnayaka and Maxwell Paranagama.

According to the indictment, three accused, Anura Weerawansa, Vajira Indrajith and Saman Udayakumraa are charged with conspiracy to commit the murder of Sujith Prasanna Perera. Further the 2nd and 3rd accused are charged with committing the murder of Sujith Perera while the 1st accused is charged with aiding and abetting the 2nd and 3rd accused in committing the offence at Wedamulla, Kelaniya between March 21 and 24, 2001.

Judge Basnayake: Do you find burn marks around the injuries when a person is shot with a .45 pistol? - Yes, Your honour, when shot at close range.

Judge Sri Skandarajah: How close should the distance be? - Two feet range, your honour.

Judge Paranagama: If the shot was fired through a glass? - Yes, your honour when at close range.

Judge Basnayake: Can you fire 9 mm bullets with .45 pistols? - No, your honour but if the pistol bodies were cannibalised could fire.

Examined by Senior State Counsel Buwaneka Aluvihara, Assistant Government Analyst P. Gamini Madawala gave further evidence before the Trial at Bar.

The witness testified that Sri Lanka usage of 9 mm pistols were more in comparison to .45 pistols. He said he was familiar with the mode of functioning in these firearms and had carried out tests and experiments with them. According to his findings, a .45 pistol could cause more harm to a victim than a 9 mm pistol. Also a shot fired at close range with a .45 pistol could pierce through the side shutters of a vehicle.

When the witness was shown two spent bullets and empty cartridge, he identified them as the items that were examined by him pertaining to the case.

The witness continued that usually .45 bullets had a lead cover over them. The two bullets in question instead had copper coverings. The bullets with copper covers can cause severe damage than the lead covered ones. A bullet with copper covering could even pierce through a hard surface.

The Analyst further observed that the .45 pistol sent to him for examination by the Attanagalla Magistrate distinguished itself having leftward grooving in its barrel. As for the two bullets sent to him by the Colombo Magistrate, bore signs of rightward grooving.

Also .45 pistols often differed in sizes but a common .45 pistol was about 9 inches in length.

Cross examined by counsel for the first accused, U. R. de Silva, the witness said during the last week of May 2002, he conducted ballistic tests and experiments with regard to the production in this case. He said the delay in doing so was due to the accumulation of large scale court productions at the Analyst Department.

In reply to Defence Counsel Neville Abeyratne, the witness said some pistols and rifles had spiral grooves in their barrels and are categorised as rifles.

At this stage, counsel for the third accused Jaliya Samarasinghe informed court that the pistol in question was not available and that it be produced in court to enable him to cross examine.

The witness, according the court ordered that the pistol, sent by the Attanagalla Magistrate be produced at the next hearing.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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