The high profile crime at Royal Park condominium

The murder of Yvonne Jonsson at the Royal Park condominium at Nawala, Rajagiriya on July 1, 2005 hit headlines owing to the propensity of the vicious crime. The murder of a 19-year-old Swedish girl became the talk of the town that shed light on the lifestyles of wealthy young men and women and what they do in pursuit of pleasure.

It became clear that young rich men and women led a hedonistic lifestyle, patronising exclusive night clubs, and hob-nobbing with persons addicted to liquor and drugs. Yvonne Jonsson’s murder became a high profile crime case that generated interest among people also due to the mysterious nature of the crime. Nobody knew who the assailant was as there were no eye witnesses.

The other fact was because the deceased was a foreigner who lived with her parents at the Royal Park condominium.Yvonne Jonsson, was strangled to death at the Royal Park condominium and her body was found lying on the staircase outside her home on the upper floor.

She too was a resident at the Royal Park condominium.The Welikade Police, on hearing of the murder of the girl rushed to the condominium and conducted the initial investigations. Following the media spotlight on the mysterious murder, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sleuths were assigned to track down the suspect.

As there were no witnesses, the police had to rely on circumstantial evidence to untangle the mysterious murder. Although it was a tough case to crack the sleuths after painstaking investigations, were able to make a breakthrough. Having recorded several statements and following several leads the police finally got wind of the assassin whom they were looking for. Before long the suspect was taken in for questioning.

He was a young man who was known to the Jonsson family. He was the boyfriend of Yvonne’s sister. The suspect was later identified as Shermantha Jude Anthony Jayamaha (20). He was charged in courts later with the murder of Yvonne Jonsson by strangling her to death.

When the case was taken up for hearing, the gruesome nature of the crime came to light following the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO)’s evidence. He said the injuries found on the girl's skull would have been caused as a result of her head being bashed against the condominium wall. He also told court that the suspect would have removed the stockings worn by her to strangle her to death. Brutal force had been used several times to strangle her, he said. At the Magisterial inquiry several witnesses were called to testify. Thereafter the evidence of Caroline Jonnson, Yvonne’s sister, (16) was led. Her evidence gave an insight into the life led by some rich and the mighty and their offspring. She said the wealthy who patronised nightclubs drank and were hooked on drugs. Their drinking sessions went on till the wee hours of the morning.Following the revelation, the media was quick to expose what took place at night clubs at five star hotels.

The then Minister of Finance Dr. Sarath Amunugama ordered a crackdown on such activities at night clubs. He directed the Commissioner of Excise to conduct raids on night clubs.What the excise men found was quite startling. They found that liquor was served to teenagers even at nightclubs at five Star hotels contravening provisions of the Excise Ordinance. Following the crackdown, some nightclubs even suspended their operations temporarily.

The Criminal Investigation Department after concluding their investigations on the murder of Yvonne Jonsson submitted the file to the Attorney General's Department for indictment. Finally Shermantha Jayamaha was indicted by the Attorney General for the murder of Yvonne Jonsson's deathThe case was taken up for hearing before the High Court in Colombo. The prosecution was led by a team from the Attorney General’s Department comprising the then Deputy Solicitor General Jayaththa Jayasuriya and Senior State Counsel Haripriya Jayasundera assisted by Lakmali Karunanayake. Presidents Counsel Daya Perera, M.L.M. Ameen, Mohan Pieris and Counsel Shanaka Ranasinghe and Anuja Premaratne, Sampath de Zoysa appeared for the accused.

President Counsel Hemantha Warnakulasuriya and Counsel Inoka Gamage, Waruna Dissanayake instructed by Vijitha Wickremasekera watched the interest of Yvonne’s family. During the course of the trial the prosecution was able to prove that accused Jayamaha was present at the Royal Park condominium on the day of the incident between 2.25. am. and 3.45 am.