Police arrest two people over Wellawaya businessman's murder

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Police arrested two people over the murder of a businessman from Ethiliwewa, Wellawaya.

Police Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana speaking to News 1st said 46-year-old Rajapaksa Mudiyanselage Thilak Chandana Rajapaksa of Veherayaya, Wellawaya - a building contractor by profession, was missing since the 17th of April 2021. The 46-year-old businessman was operating a construction company in Mihindu Mawatha in Colombo and was also constructing new office premises in Thalahena, Thalangama. "The victim was operating a construction business in Thalahena, Thalangama, and detectives upon visiting the business premises discovered bloodstains on the floor and walls," said the Police Spokesperson. Investigations revealed the businessman was murdered by slitting his throat inside the Thalahena business premises, said the DIG adding the suspects were traced using CCTV footage in the area. The Police Spokesperson said two people were arrested for the murder adding one suspect is a servant of the deceased and the other suspect is the servant's associate. The suspects who were former soldiers had murdered the businessman and taken his body to Raththota, where it was set on fire, said the Police Spokesperson. 'The main suspect is evading arrest and is identified as an employee of the deceased," said the Police Spokesperson adding a dispute over salaries and wages between the deceased and the main suspect to the murder. On the 21st of April 2021, charred remains were discovered from the Raththota Police area and when police officers visited the site, they discovered a human skull, legs, and lower parts of a body. In addition, on the 23rd of April 2021, an abandoned car was traced by the Anuradhapura Police and following an investigation, it was revealed that the car belongs to an individual identified as Rajapaksa Mudiyanselage Thilak Chandana Rajapaksa of Veherayaya, Wellawaya who was reported missing. Police Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana speaking to News 1st said a DNA test was carried out to determine the identity of the charred remains by comparing samples with the businessman's family, and the results are to be received.