Criminal thought dead in tsunami nabbed

By Gayan Kumara Weerasingha

It was in late October when the OIC of the Kurunegala Divisional Crimes Investigation Unit, Chief Inspector M.M.P. Herath received confidential information from a personal informant via telephone on a criminal who was allegedly killed in the Tsunami.
Ekanayaka Mudiyanselage Rajakaruna Ekanayaka alias Sudantha had charges against him on a string of robberies, and for forging money. He was said to have been killed in the tsunami when he was in Matara prison. The tsunami of 26th December 2004 seriously damaged the Matara prison. Most of the prisoners were killed while some others escaped. Some who escaped later gave themselves up at prisons or police stations while some others were apprehended by police.
Sudantha was kept in a cell for special prisoners as he had been named a criminal of a special type. He was an active and powerful JVP member during 88-89. Later he had been captured by security units and had spent some time in a rehabilitation camp in Bussa. He had done his A/Ls in the Arts stream and had missed University entrance by a few marks.
CI Hearth unearthed this information in lengthy investigations. Sudantha’s involvement in crimes began in 2000. His gang included an ex constable. In addition to robbing, he forged money with the help of a Buddhist monk.
He was first arrested by the Forged Money Investigation Unit of the CID as a result of investigations on a counterfiet money racket in Welimada and Balangoda. Sudantha was appearing as a private tuition master before society and the forged currency found with him was the largest haul at that time. When arrested the CID wasn’t aware that Sudantha was also wanted by the police for robberies in Rathnapura, Gampola, Matara and Wariyapola etc. It was later revealed that he had three cases against him concerning vehicle robberies in southern courts, when transferred to Matara prison.

Distributing forged money

He had been distributing forged money all over the island with his centre of operations in Kurunegala. At that time he had been residing in ‘Makul Alla’, Bamunu kotuwa, Kurunegala. CI Herath immediately informed senior DIG Jayantha Gamage, DIG Mahesh Samaradivakara and SSP Vaas Gunawardana, the police head in charge of Kurunegala division that this criminal was still alive, and began investigations on their instructions. CI Hearth initiated investigations and later was assisted by a police team. Police officers, disguised, traversed Kurunegala and all surrounding areas, collecting information on the criminal. It was revealed that the criminal often visited a house in Gangthiriyagama, Katupotha where his sister lived. His sister too had got to know that he was among the living only when he visited her three years after the Tsunami.

Forged identity

By then the criminal had changed his appearance as well as his name. His new name was Arunajith Ekanayaka and he had forged a new identity card bearing that name. He was appearing before society as an English tuition master and he conducted classes not only in Kurunegala but all over the island. In addition he held karate, wushu and yoga classes around the country. His classes were conducted in the Kurunegala, Colombo, Piliyandala and Wariyapola areas.
He had met a girl from the Katunayaka FTZ and he is said to have lived with her for some time. They had been living in a rented room in Katunayaka and this girl died of cancer while investigations were being carried out.

Meeting to pledge support for MR

The “Vidudaya Jayawardanapura Vidyarthinge Ekamuthuwa” will hold a meeting on 10 January to pledge its support at the forthcoming Presidential election, to President, Mahinda Rajapaksa. Details of this event could be obtained from P.G.Rupasinghe, General Secretary on 011-2434487 and 011-4741890 or from the office at 210, Dam Street, Colombo 12.