A former army soldier suspected of being involved in four murders, including the shooting death of a former prison officer in Bandaragama and the shooting death of two youths in Borella, has been arrested by the Police Special Task Force.
Police stated that they had received information that the suspect had shot and killed four people last August alone.
The Joint Special Raid Unit of the Police Special Task Force Jayawardenapura Camp had received information that the shooter in the shooting death of two youths in the Sirisara Uyana area of Borella on August 7 was hiding in the Siyambalanduwa area in Ampara.
Accordingly, the person in question was arrested in that area yesterday (12).
Further investigations into the suspect have revealed that he was also the shooter in the shooting death of former prison officer Lalith Kodagoda near the Thunodhiya Bridge in Bandaragama on August 21.
The police also said that the person in question is suspected of being the shooter in the murder of Kudu Nilanga’s father-in-law in the Alubogahawatta area in Panadura South on August 27.
The police further stated that they have received information that the suspect is a person who escaped from the army service in 2015 and has close ties with criminals Kudu Salindu, Dehibale Aiya, Dehibale Malli and Weligama Sahan. The police also said that they suspect that this person has acted as their hired shooter. He has been handed over to the Damana Police for further investigations.