Murder cover-up case:

Four suspects in custody:

Thalangama police fall foul of the law

by Ananda Agalakada and Kurulu Koonjana Kariyakarawana

Filthy lucre is the root of all evil- . crisp green notes are too tempting and cannot be ignored by many. People would stoop to any level for the sake of money. This is just what happened in the case of the guardians of the law who fell prey to money and were involved in a cover- up in a murder case.

The police is regarded as the prime entity of any law enforcing body in a country. Although in certain instances they have fallen short and their conduct has been wanting, at most times they are regarded as the only source of assistance for the public.

In the Thalangama murder case cover-up, the guardians of the law had in fact fallen foul of the law. The police is taught to safeguard the public and maintain law and order. There was a time when the public had absolute faith in the guardians of the law and placed immense trust in them. It was to the police that people run to when they are attacked or if they have been robbed, Four police officers who were entrusted to solve a homicide case were arrested for aiding and abetting suspects to cover up a murder case for filthy lucre.

Rohan Thusitha Kumarasinghe, was a former Police Special Task Force Inspector who was allegedly abducted by an armed gang in Thalangama on July 21, 2013 and then was reported missing.

He was last seen on July 21. The Colombo Crimes Division(CCD) on November 14 exhumed a body buried n the Kegalle public cemetery which was later found to be that of the missing person. Indepth investigations revealed that the STF Inspector had been abducted by an armed gang who was given a contract to kill Rohan and dispose of the body.

Rohan was last seen by his driver Kelum Kavinda who drove him to a salon in Thalangama, Isuru Uyana to take a haircut. While Rohan was awaiting his turn for his haircut, two people in civils approached him and asked him to accompany them. They identified themselves as police officers and showed two police identity cards. Rohan then went outside the salon accompanying the two men, when he was asked to get into a van. Rohan resisted. In a split second several other men who got out of the vehicle manhandled Rohan and forcibly took him into the van.

Slain STF Inspector Rohan Thusitha Kumarasinghe

Arrested businesswoman Shyamini Himali Karunaratne

The incident happened in broad daylight with a number of onlookers witnessing the gang who seemed to be armed had hit Rohan on the the head with an object when he continued to resist. The van then sped away out of sight with the victim.

Kelum Kavinda witnessed the episode but was helpless and could not intervene. He used his common sense and immediately lodged a complaint with the Thalangama Police that his master was abducted by an armed gang.

Following initial inquiries Thalangama Police arrested a wealthy businesswoman named Shyamini Himali Karunaratne, a resident of Flower Road in Colombo 7. Investigations revealed that Himali who is a proprietor of private company had a clandestine affair with the STF Inspector for several years.

She is said to have met Rohan through her husband. When Himali's husband went to the Colombo Police City Traffic unit regarding a motor traffic offence he had accidentally met Inspector Rohan who happened to be there. A brief acquaintance developed between the two and resulted in Rohan visiting his new found friend. It was here that an illicit affair developed between Rohan and himali. Now this was going on for some time until they moved out to live on their own. Kelum Kavinda told police that Rohan financially depended on Himali and was taken care of by her. Rohan who failed to report to work over a period of time was dismissed from the police service in 2011.

According to the victim's younger brother Dhanushka Kumarasinghe, his brother and Himali had lived together in a luxury apartment in Trillium Residencies in Elvitigala Mawatha, Borella with their child for sometime. He refuted allegations made by the police and the media that the couple had a clandestine affair, Dhanushka said that his brother was legally married to the wealthy businesswoman and even produced a marriage certificate indicating that the couple entered wedlock on January 24, 2013.

Himali had financially helped Rohan and even his family by giving money to his younger brother to build a house. However, their relationship was turning sour since of late for unknown reasons and there were arguments between the couple his brother told the media.

Thalangama Police who conducted investigations found that Himali was connected to the abduction and killing of Rohan Thusitha Kumarasinghe.

What happened next is akin to a story from a crime fiction...

Police officers in charge of investigations had then allegedly threatened Himali with legal action if she did not agree to pay a large sum of money to them. Subsequently the business woman acceded to their demand and paid them. A staggering Rs.9.5million exchanged hands between the wealthy businesswoman and the Thalangama Police came up with a new ruse saying that Rohan himself had staged the abduction for personal gain.

The case was then dropped and forgotten. It was swept under the carpet until Dhanushka who was suspicious about the whole drama decided to lodge a complaint with Police Headquarters against the Thalangama Police. IGP N K Illangakoon who took a serious view of the complaint ordered the Colombo Crime Division(CCD) to start fresh investigation into the case.

The CCD then undertook investigations and found that a Rs.1.5million contract had been given to a party of vehicle seizers to abduct and kill Rohan and also to dispose of his body.

The CCD subsequently arrested Himali and five other suspects who were alleged to have undertaken the abduction and killing. According to their statement Rohan who was abducted on July 21 was taken to Kithulgala where he was strangled to death. The gang had then tied a rock to his body and dumped him in the Kelani River.

The semi decomposed body which was disfigured was buried in the Kegalle cemetery at state expense on October 29. The body was subsequently exhumed by the CCD on November 14 to caary out further investigations.

The CCD then did a thorough follow-up and arrested four officers attached to the Thalangama Police including OIC Chief Inspector Upul Perera, OIC Crime Branch IP K.P. Kodithuwakku, Sergeant Pushpakumara and Police Constable Navarathne.

Inquiries revealed that Rs.2million was found in OIC Upul Perera's bank account and a sum of Rs.7.5million had been shared among the other officers.

Himali had reportedly deposited two million rupees in the personal account of the OIC and Rs.7.5 million had been given to the other police officers. According to the CCD, Himali had also given them vehicles to be used as and when they wanted.

The CCD further said the OIC and the other officers occasionally threatened the woman and demanded money to sweep the case under the carpet.

The five suspects who were earlier taken into custody were to be produced before an identification parade at the Kaduwela Magistrate's Court on November 22 but the case was postponed to November 29 since the members of the complainant party failed to turn up at the Courts .

The four police officers who were produced before Kaduwela Magistrate on November 21 were remanded until December 5.