Man arrested for extortion of Rs 5 mn: Funds for Makandure Madush's bail

COLOMBO (News 1st): A 45-year-old person believed to be an accomplice of Makandure Madush has been arrested at Gampola. The police said that this person was previously accused of murder, robberies and money frauds. The arrested suspect had tried to extort Rs. 5 million from a gem businessman in Pelmadulla. The suspect had allegedly claimed that the sum of money was needed to provide bail to Makandure Madush. Upon the request of the businessman, the sum of money was decreased to Rs. 500,000. The suspect had requested that a sum of Rs. 5000 be initially banked to his account. However, the special investigations unit of the Kahawatta police in a special operation had arrested the suspect when he arrived at a private bank to obtain money. The suspect identified as a resident of Yakkala, Gampaha was remanded till the 28th of this month after being produced before the Pelmadulla Magistrates Court.