|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Saturday, 10 January 2004 |
 |
|
 |
News | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Court-house drama at Hulftsdorp by Sarath Malalasekera and Asanga Warnakulasuriya It was like an episode straight out of a Hollywood serial movie. A man seated opposite the Colombo Additional Magistrate M. Y. M. Izzadeen in Court No. 6 at Hulftsdorp, witnessing a case involving underworld gang leader Dhammika Amarasinghe alias Dhammika Perera, suddenly rose as court proceedings were on, pulled out a pistol from his socks and sprayed several rounds at Dhammika. The time was exactly a minute past 11.00 a.m. In the annals of Hulftsdorp, this was the first time that a shooting incident inside the court premises was seen and reported. The gunman collared another man present in the court house, held him hostage and screamed, 'If anyone tries to arrest me, I will shoot this man.' As people in the court house ran for safety, the assassin crept into an adjoining office near the court house. The Magistrate and lawyers in the court house rushed to the Magistrate's chamber as gun fire broke. Brave army corporal who was on official duty near the court premises and policemen led by the officer-in-charge of Dematagoda Police, Chief Inspector Jayantha Liyanage and OIC CDB Grandpass, Inspector Anuradha Mahindasiri stormed the 'safe room' of the assassin, battled and took him to custody. The assassin was identified as an army deserter, Chaminda Udaya Kumara of Grandpass, the brother of slain Beddagana Sanjeewa. As Dhammika fell on the ground, the assassin screamed that the 'job was done'. He had confessed to Police that he took revenge from Dhammika for killing his brother Sanjeewa. He was attached to the Kuruwita Army camp. Two outsiders who were in the well of the court were also injured by gun fire. The assailant had come to the court premises masquerading as a lawyer with the .9 mm weapon hidden in his boots, Police said. He was carrying a file with the logo of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, the investigators said. Attorney Anton Senanayake, Counsel for Dhammika who was present during the incident said his client's double murder case was called and postponed for January 23 pending the decision of the Attorney General for a discharge in the case. Senanayake added that he saw Dhammika fallen in a pool of blood. He appealed to prison authorities to rush him and another person who was also injured following the shooting to the hospital. Commissioner General of Prisons Rumy Marzook who rushed to the scene immediately directed an inquiry into the incident and told the chief jailor who was in-charge of the Prison squad in Court yesterday to record statements from the prison officials. Colombo DIG Sirisena Herath, Colombo Central Senior SP Lucky Dissanayake, Colombo Crime Division (CCD) Director Senior SP Sarath Lugoda, Colombo Central ASP Premalal Ranagala, officers attached to the CID and Government Analyst's department are conducting investigations. Amerasinghe was a suspect in several other cases, including the Thilanga Sumathipala case. The two who were injured are receiving treatment at the National Hospital. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
