Millionaire businessman murder:

Six suspects still at large

by Maneshka Borham

On night of August 21 Mohammad Shakeeb Suleiman, a millionaire apparel businessman and resident of Kotalawala Avenue in Bambalapitiya was abducted around 11.15 pm by an unidentified group of individuals who had arrived in a silver coloured vehicle. The 29 year old had just returned home having attended a function in Wellawatta and was waiting to be admitted to his residence when the incident occurred. Alarmed at not finding her husband outside the house his wife alerted relatives and the Police about Sulaiman’s abduction, prompting the Police to launch a widespread search for his whereabouts.

While several teams of officers of the Bambalapitiya Police led by OIC Kamal Perera commenced investigations several teams from the Colombo Crimes Division also commenced investigations simultaneously. In the initial stages of the investigation the Police found Sulaiman’s wrist watch, a file belonging to him as well as blood splattered around 100 feet away from where he was kidnapped. However, these clues only led the Police to a dead end and they were unable to gather any new information as to his whereabouts.

Meanwhile, a break came by way of a call received by Suleiman’s father on Monday (August 22) morning. The callers informed that Suleiman will be released and demanded a ransom of Rupees 20 million. As the father of the abducted promised to pay the ransom in exchange for his son’s safe return, and also offered a reward of Rs five million to anyone with information, the Police were able to trace the call to Kegalle.

However, dashing the hopes of his loved ones, Suleiman’s body was eventually found in a precipice along the Hemmathagama - Aranayake road in the Mawanella Police Division. According to the Mawanella Police the body was in a decomposed state, when it was recovered by police on Thursday night.

The post-mortem conducted on the body later revealed he had died after being struck on his head, above the left ear, within an hour of abduction proving that Suleiman was already deceased when the call for ransom was made.

Chief Judicial Medical Officer of Kegalle Hospital Ramesh Alagiyawanna in his report said Sulaiman’s death was caused by a blow with a blunt weapon on his head.

As his body was recovered suspicion fell on six individuals who were in debt to the businessman, one of whom had already fled the country several months ago. Acting on the suspicion the Police requested a travel ban on these individuals from the courts, who were later identified to be relations of the businessman. According to the Police Media unit Police investigations are still ongoing with no further updates available.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has called for a report on the initial Police investigations into the abduction and the subsequent murder of the millionaire businessman Mohamed Sulaiman. Speaking to the Sunday Observer Media Secretary to the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister Shanuka Karunarathna said Prime Minister Wickremesinghe requested the Report from the Minister of Law and Order Sagala Ratnayake who in turn has instructed Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara to look into the matter.

“The Prime Minister has requested information on Police actions and steps taken by them on the initial complaint up to the time the body of the businessmen was found” he said.