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| Sunday, 20 November 2005 |
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Profile of a soldier turned killer Crime Sunday by Jayampathy Jayasinghe Nobody in their wildest dreams would have thought that a solider of the calibre of Major Wijebahu was a killer cum robber who took his own life by hanging himself from a piece of cloth whilst at the Bogambara Prison last week. He did so because he could no longer bear the shame for the crimes he committed whilst serving in the Army. None of his batchmates not his peers in the military were aware that he was a ruthless killer. It came as a horrifying shock to them after his arrest by the Wattegama police. Born in January 11, 1970, a native of Kandy, he attended a leading college in Kandy and joined the Army as a cadet officer in 1992. His brilliant career in the military was cut short after he was arrested by the Wattegama Police in November 2004. He attended the prestigious Kotalawala Defence Academy, Ratmalana and was posted to the Maduru-Oya Special Military Training Centre during the period 1993-1994. In 1997 he entered matrimony and was blessed with a three-year-old son. He was again posted to the Minneriya Military Combat Training School as an instructor. An able officer skilled in military warfare, he rose up quickly in the military ranks and was posted to the Wijeyaba Regiment. Later as an officer Commanding the 215 Balasena Battalion he was posted to battle torn areas in Murunkan, Elephant Pass, Paranthan, Chavakachcheri areas where he was in action. On May 14, 2001, Major Wijebahu assumed duties at the Mantota, camp and later became its commanding officer. Like most service personnel serving in operational areas, it was customary for them to go on long leave to be with their families. Major Wijebahu took ten days leave to be with his wife and the child in Napanne, Kandy and travelled to Kandy on 02 October, 2004 in an Army vehicle with 5377 number plate. He was accompanied by a Corporal from the same detachment. After arriving in Kandy he took his wife on a shopping spree in Kandy town and later dropped her at their home. He later arrived at the Sinha Regiment Camp in Kandy accompanied by the corporal. Well as a Commanding Officer he had the privilege to visit other Army camps for various official matters. He made use of the computer at the camp to print vehicle Number plate 8147 and took it along with him. On October 11, 2004 at 6.45 a.m. the corporal called over at his residence at Napanne, Kandy. Thereafter both of them arrived at Akurana and hired a car to proceed to Wattegama along with its driver. The Major was seated in front and the Corporal took a back seat in the vehicle. While proceeding on the Doragamuwa Road at Akurana, on a lonely spot, the Corporal all of a sudden leapt forward and held the drivers hands with an iron grip. Instantaneously the Major pointed a pistol at the drivers head and the vehicle came to an abruptly halt. Thereafter both of them gagged the driver and tied him up with a rope and threw him out of the vehicle near a quarry. Having robbed the vehicle both of them then proceeded towards Wattegama. Meanwhile the driver struggled all by himself and managed to free himself and rushed to the Wattegama Police Station. He lodged a complaint that his vehicle was robbed. OIC Wattegama, Police Station, Inspector T. Lodewike sprang into action and ordered his men to trace the vehicle. Later a police party that lay in ambush intercepted the stolen car around 9.30.a.m at Wattegama Road. The police questioned the suspects about the robbery. But the Major and the Corporal vehemently denied the allegation which ultimately led to a heated argument. Finally, a fight ensued between police and the suspects and they grappled each other for nearly 20 minutes before being overpowered by the policemen. Police found the pistol and several hand grenades in the possession of Major Wijebahu. Two suspects and the stolen vehicle were later brought to the Wattegama Police Station. On being further questioned, the Major confessed that he previously hired a car at Anuradhapura and killed its driver by cutting him with a knife. He admitted that the driver's body was brought to the Mantota camp and was buried there. The stolen car was later sold to another Army officer for a sum of Rs. 250,000. Police also found several identity cards at the Mantota camp. Four soldiers along with the Major was arrested in connection with the murder and robbery of the vehicle. They were produced before the Teldeniya Magistrate last year who remanded them pending completion of investigations. The police party that unmasked the killer army officer was OIC Wattegama, Inspector T. Lodewike, Sub Inspector Wimlalasena, Police Sergeant Wimalasena, Premasiri, Police Constable Tillekeratne, Wijesinghe. |
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