Brawl over mistress ends proprietor's life

The investigations into the death of a proprietor of a tourist inn Ranjith Rajapakse in Mount Lavinia began a fortnight ago. At the very outset, the sudden death looked as if it happened under normal circumstances; an accidental death at his home. But subsequently police unearthed evidence and found that it was a murder.

Earlier, police thought that the 57-year-old victim had sustained head injuries as a result of a fall at his hotel on November 21. Ranjith ran the tourist inn with the help of two employees and his mistress who came to reside there recently. He lived at the inn with his mistress and carried on with his business. His wife and children were away in Sweden. He was a defiant and an outlandish character who brooked no nonsense according to some.

Ranjith was admitted to a hospital following a head injury that he sustained on the previous night. He was too drunk and feeble to seek treatment that night. However towards morning his condition became worse when he vomited blood and fell into a coma at the hotel. His employees thereafter had rushed him to a hospital close by.

He later succumbed to his injuries. Following his death, police launched a routine investigation as it involved an accident. It was a routine investigation and police had no qualms of foul play.

Subsequently, policemen from the Mount Lavinia visited the inn and questioned hotel employees and learnt that the proprietor was punch drunk that night and quarrelled with them. Thereafter, he had fallen unconscious trying to climb up the staircase. The policemen questioned the men whether there was foul play. But they denied any knowledge of anything suspicious. Police also learnt that the boss used to quarrel with them on trivial domestic matters.

Police said that Ranjith had been a play boy who had affairs with several women. He met his mistress at the inn. She was brought there by a friend for employment. She worked as a stewardess at the hotel. It soon became apparent the friend too had a passionate love affair with the young woman. But when he deserted her and went to the Middle East in search of greener pastures, Ranjith wooed her and she became his mistress.

When Ranjith Rajapakse's family arrived from Sweden on hearing about his sudden death they began making inquiries. Soon they learnt from neighbours that he had died under mysterious circumstances. Following the inquest his funeral was conducted at the Mount Lavinia cemetery. A few days later a neighbour who turned up at the Mt. Lavinia Police Station told a senior police officer that the stewards had dragged Ranjith from the staircase in a suspicious manner. He had witnessed it through a window. He told the police officer that he suspected foul play.

Following the neighbours disclosure the senior police officer instructed the Mount Lavinia Police to act fast and probe the mysterious death.

A team of police officers visited the tourist hotel and questioned the two stewards and the mistress of what took place on November 21 night. The men denied foul play at the very outset. But under intense grilling the two men broke down and confessed to the police of what took place. On the day of the incident their boss had consumed a considerable amount of liquor and behaved in a vociferous manner. He had abused a steward whom he suspected of having a clandestine affair with his mistress.

Eventually it led to a heated argument where they traded insults at each other. The mistress had been watching television in a room while they argued.

The steward had then grabbed a pole and dealt a severe blow on the boss's head.

He had collapsed and fallen on the ground. Police learnt that the steward who beat him, had had also had a secret love affair with his mistress. The two male stewards and the mistress were taken into custody following the death of the hotel proprietor. The pole used by the steward to comment the crime was also recovered by the police.

The three suspects were produced before court and were remanded.