Wealthy hotelier’s tryst with death

The proprietor of the Biyagama Village Hotel was a wealthy man who owned several estates in Pugoda and Kirindiwela in the Dompe district. It became routine for Ebert Bernard Jayaratne (65) to wake up early in the morning and to visit his estates in Dompe that he managed personally. Jayaratne had a close rapport with his workers employed in his estate.

He had the habit of inquiring about people who lived in the villages from his employees. He was immensely popular among villagers and helped those who sought his favours in whatever possible way.

He lived in a room at the Biyagama Village Hotel that he set up with five rooms some time ago. By dint of hard work he gradually built his business empire over the years.

The Biyagama Village Hotel with several rooms is a popular destination for weddings and for hosting receptions. Jayaratne’s wife died a couple of years ago due to a sudden illness. He lived separately from his estranged wife for more than 13 years, at the hotel. He was the father of two grown -up children, a son and a daughter who lived elsewhere after marriage.

Diver

Jayaratne started his life as a diver in the Sri Lanka Navy almost three decades ago and after a brief stint ventured into business that brought him a substantial fortune.

He also owned several warehouses and vehicles for transporting goods and was the president of the Trader's Association at Biyagama. He was the proprietor of several lands at Biyagama Free Trade Zone where well known factories are located.

On February 20 Jayaratne woke up early to visit his estate in Dompe. He was in an unusual hurry to visit Himbutukumbura coconut estate at Dompe. Without breakfast he left the Biyagama Village Hotel in his cab and arrived at his estate around 6.20 a.m. After inspecting the estate he spoke to the mother and her daughter who were caretakers of his estate.

They were by his side no sooner he arrived at the estate. The woman and her two daughters lived in a small house in the estate itself. Having ended the conversation with them, Jayaratne was about to get in to his vehicle which was parked near the gate when a man wearing a helmet, stepped up from behind. He had arrived there on a motorcycle a little earlier.The stranger was carrying a hatchet-like blade in his hand.

Horror

When Jayaratne was about to get into the van he raised the hatchet and repeatedly dealt several blows on Jayaratne's head while the two women screamed in horror. Having received fatal blows on his head, Jayaratne collapsed instantly with blood gushing down his face.

His entire face was soon smeared with blood. Thereafter, the assassin kept on attacking the fallen man on the ground with the machete while the women attempted to rescue Jayaratne. The assassin then sprang on them and cut the hand of Sandhaya Kumari, the 17-year-old daughter of the woman, causing severe injuries.

However, when neighbours rushed in on hearing the screams, the assassin fled on a motorcycle in the direction of Malwana.

Threatening

Police are now investigating why the assassin did not kill the woman and her daughter when he had ample time to do so before the neighbours arrived there.

“Sandhaya Kumari was later admitted to the Gampaha Hospital and her condition is not life threatening,” police said. Neighbours who flocked to the coconut estate found Jayaratne's body lying in a pool of blood beside his vehicle. When Dompe police visited the scene, they found Jayaratne's body and his vehicle.

They found severe injuries on his head. A large sum of money was found, along with his identity card in his shirt pocket.On the instructions of Senior DIG Colombo, Anura Senanayake, three police teams have been deployed to apprehend the suspects linked to the killing. Statements of several persons who they think could shed light on the killing have been recorded.

A senior police officer told the Sunday Observer they are investigating whether the victim had borrowed large sums of money from a businessman in the area who was killed some time ago by an unknown assassin. Police so far had not arrested anyone linked to the killing.

Disagreements

The police are investigating whether contract killers had been employed to get him killed by an interested party.

Another aspect they are looking at present is whether a relative of the deceased had killed him to inherit all his properties.

According to the police, his son too was not in good terms with his father due to various disagreements on various issues.

Police will no doubt take time to sift through evidence and arrive at a conclusion to find out those responsible for the killing of the businessman.

According to the police, the assassin who arrived that day at the estate on a motorcycle wearing a helmet has not been identified so far.

However, police suspect that a second suspect who arrived near the estate had kept watch till the job was accomplished.Jayaratne who was involved in business ventures had received death threats on earlier occasions. He had more secret enemies than friends, sources said. The police teams are operating under the guidance of OIC Dompe Police Station Inspector Woodler.