Four persons including the Matara Co-Operative Insurance Corporation Chairman were arrested last evening (11) by the Western Province (South) Crime Division in connection with the incident of shooting and injuring Battaramulla Co-Operative Branch Chairman Darshana Lalith Samarawickrama at Gemunu Mawatha in Meegoda.
Among the other suspects who have been arrested are a businessman who owns buses, a soldier who left the army and a bus conductor.
The firearm used in the shooting, a motorcycle and a three-wheeler in which the shooters were travelling in were also taken into custody by the police.
It has been revealed that the shooting was carried out based on a contract given by former branch Chairman’s close relative Matara Chaminda to a resident in Warakagoda, Kalutara.
The Warakagoda resident is employed at a private security firm and he had given Rs.150,000 to an ex-army man residing in Kuliyapitiya several months ago to kill the new chairman of the Battaramulla Branch.
Police said that the suspects had tried on several occasions to shoot the new chairman but had failed.
A senior police officer said the shooter and the motorcyclist who helped him, Warakagoda resident and Matara Chaminda who gave the contract were among the arrested.
Investigations revealed that Matara Chaminda is a shareholder of the insurance corporation.
Matara Chaminda has revealed that the shooting was carried out with the knowledge of the former branch chairman.
Investigations revealed that the shooter had left the army in 2010.
The Warakagoda resident who gave the contract was identified as Lahiru Manaram and the shooter’s name is Prasanna Kumara.
The firearm used in the shooting has been made in China.
The suspects are to be produced in the Homagama Magistrate’s Court after being interrogated for 48 hours.
