Conspiracy to murder HC Judge

Twelve suspects including three women remanded:

Panadura group correspondent

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* Police receive fax message regarding picketing campaign against the non-release of murder suspects and suspects involved in drug trafficking on bail.

* Police seize bundles of posters brought to be handed over to participants of the picketing campaign

* Police arrest 10 suspects including three women, identified as suspects on bail on a drug trafficking case and extortion case.

* Suspect makes full statement giving details of the alleged conspiracy

* Leader selected to fire at the High Court Judge when she reported to Court

* Contract to be given for Rs. 150,000 and a woman, a wife of a businessman agrees to provide Rs. 50,000.

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A conspiracy to assassinate Provincial High Court Judge Malanie Gunaratne while reporting to the Panadura High Court has been unearthed by Panadura Police.

Twelve suspects including three women together with a Prison Guard of the Kalutara Prison were arrested and remanded by Panadura Magistrate Thushara Rajasinghe pending further investigations.

When the suspects were produced before the Magistrate with ‘B’ reports, the Magistrate held a preliminary inquiry to ascertain whether any attempt to assassinate the High Court Judge was being planned.

At the conclusion of the inquiry, the Magistrate was satisfied that a conspiracy was hatched and that there was a threat on the life of the High Court Judge.

The Magistrate directed Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickramaratne to make immediate arrangements to provide special police security to the Provincial High Court Judge.

The assassination attempt was unearthed by the special police team led by Inspector Sarath Dassanayake when Police received a fax message from Bandanagara Rendaviyange Sangamaya of the Kalutara Remand Prison informing Police that a group of people were preparing to stage a picketing campaign on the road opposite the Panadura Court Complex protesting against the non-release of murder suspects and suspects involved in drug trafficking on bail.

The special Police team laid a dragnet covering the Court Complex. on a search made on a three-wheeler, Police seized bundles of posters brought to be handed over to participants of the picketing campaign to be staged on Wednesday.

Police arrested four suspects and seized the two three-wheelers. On interrogation of the three-wheeler drivers and two others involved in transporting defamatory posters against the Court, the Police team were able to arrest 10 other suspects including three women, identified as suspects on bail on a drug trafficking case and an extortion case.

Police recorded their statements and a report was submitted to the Panadura Magistrate by Panadura Police Headquarters Chief Inspector Kumaradasa Hettiarachchi.

The Magistrate held an inquiry to satisfy himself about the investigations conducted by Police with regard to the alleged attempt on the life of the High Court Judge.

A suspect made a full statement giving details of the alleged conspiracy.

Police obtained the permission of the Court to check certain mobile telephone messages exchanged between certain inmates of the Kalutara Prison and suspects arrested by Police.

According to investigations, a leader was selected to fire at the High Court Judge when she reported to Court.

A contract was to be given for Rs. 150,000 and a woman, a wife of a businessman agreed to provide Rs. 50,000.

When the inquiry was held by the Magistrate in Open Court Panadura Police Headquarters Chief Inspector Kumaradasa Hettiarachchi told the Magistrate that four special teams of policemen are investigating to arrest the leader of the alleged firing squad and others involved in the conspiracy to assassinate of the Provincial High Court Judge. A group of lawyers led by Vajira Kavisinghe and Sugath Handunge appealed to the Magistrate to conduct a comprehensive inquiry through Police regarding the matter as the lives of all others were not safe.

The Magistrate made a special order to keep all suspects separately in remand prison.

Panadura acting ASP Ranasinghe is directing investigations on the instructions of the Panadura Division SSP Sumith Edirisinghe.