No CCTV Recordings in Kapila Chandrasena Death Probe

COLOMBO (News 1st);  The Colombo Crimes Division informed the Fort Magistrate’s Court that no data recordings were available from the CCTV camera system at the residence of former cricketer Aravinda de Silva, where former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena was found dead.

This was revealed as investigators presented progress in the ongoing probe into the death.

The magisterial inquiry into former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena’s death resumed before the Fort Magistrate’s Court.

Investigating officers told court that, acting on a search warrant, they inspected a residence in Hyde Park believed to belong to Chandrasena.

They stated that the house is registered under his wife’s name and that two laptops and several documents recovered from the premises were taken into custody as case material.

Officers further informed court that two types of unlabelled medication, wrapped in paper and found at the scene of death, would be sent to the Government Analyst for examination.

During proceedings, the Magistrate inquired whether all CCTV footage from the residence where Chandrasena was found had been obtained by investigators.

In response, officers stated that while the CCTV system at the house was operational, investigations revealed that no data had been recorded.

However, they noted that footage from several nearby houses had been reviewed.

They told court that this footage clearly showed individuals entering and leaving the residence.

Six witnesses were called to testify at today’s inquiry.

The fourth witness, Attorney-at-Law Priyantha Upali Amarasinghe, testified that he was the first to see Chandrasena deceased.

Priyantha Upali Amarasinghe

Extract of Testimony:

“When I opened the door, I saw the bed was empty. The bedsheets were disturbed, almost crumpled. As no one was on the bed, I looked around the room and noticed a door on the left side, with something like a dark green tie hanging from the top. That was what I first saw. Then there was a blue chair turned towards the door. This was my first experience of something like this, and I was frightened. On the chair, I saw something like a head. Part of the cloth tied above the door was also around the neck. Aravinda’s wife was near the door at the time. I spoke to her and came out of the room. Aravinda arrived shortly after. I told him that Kapila appeared to be dead. I saw he was also shocked. I told him to quickly call a doctor, as my immediate thought was that if there was any chance he was alive, we should try to save him.”

Dr. Lakshani Yashoda Liyanage testified that Chandrasena had been dead for approximately one to two hours at the time she examined him.

Dr. Lakshani Yashoda Liyanage

Extract of Testimony:

“The bed was empty. When I moved a little further, I saw a door on the left, with a chair turned towards it. Near the chair, a person had fallen. I examined him to check for signs of life. Breathing had stopped, and one side of the face was pressed against the chair. There was no pulse. When I lifted his right arm, it was partially stiff. The pupil in the right eye was dilated and fixed. At the time of my examination, the person was already dead. The neck was compressed with a piece of cloth.”

A domestic worker at Chandrasena’s residence, Manathunga Mudiyanselage Somadasa, testified that no external visitors had come to meet Chandrasena from the time he returned to his Barnes residence on May 6 after securing bail until he left for Aravinda de Silva’s residence on May 7.

Another domestic worker, Subram Pramila, also testified.

Subram Pramila 

Extract of Testimony:

“Around 11.30 at night, Mr. Kapila called me. He said he would send a vehicle and asked me to prepare some clothes for the night. Later, he called again and told me to include two pairs of spectacles, some medicine, and a blue belt kept under his sarong. That belt was something he used for exercise. I packed everything into a bag. After that, a vehicle came, and I handed over the bag.”

Statements were also recorded from two drivers of Aravinda de Silva, who transported the bag containing clothes, medicine, and the belt from Chandrasena’s residence to De Silva’s house.

Further hearings in the case are scheduled for May 19.