How a Lawyer Allegedly Enabled a Murder in Court

COLOMBO (News 1st): A female attorney-at-law has been arrested in connection with the high-profile courtroom assassination of Ganemulla Sanjeewa, police confirmed on Tuesday.

The 55-year-old lawyer was taken into custody last night in the Kadawatha area by officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). 

She is currently being interrogated under a 72-hour detention order.

According to investigators, the attorney-at-law is suspected of having provided critical assistance to the gunman who fatally shot Ganemulla Sanjeewa inside the Aluthkade Court Complex on February 19. 

The shocking incident occurred after Sanjeewa was escorted to court by prison officials for a scheduled hearing.

Police allege that the attorney supplied the shooter with two lawyers’ neckties — used as a disguise to gain access to the court premises—as well as two law books containing hidden compartments, one of which allegedly concealed the revolver used in the murder.

Additionally, she is accused of providing a lawyer’s identity card, a vehicle pass typically displayed on legal professionals’ cars, and other materials that enabled the assailant to bypass security undetected.

The gunman was apprehended by security forces on the same day of the shooting.

Further investigations revealed that the firearm was smuggled into the court complex by a woman identified as Ishara Sewwandi.

She was arrested on October 14 while hiding in Nepal and has since been extradited to Sri Lanka.