Woman disguised as lawyer assisted ‘Ganemulla Sanjeewa’ shooting: Police clarify suspect’s escape

Sri Lanka Police says that they have identified a woman who aided and abetted the shooting inside the No. 05 Magistrate’s Court within the Aluthkade Courts Complex this morning (19), which killed notorious drug trafficker and criminal gang leader Sanjeewa Kumara Samararathne alias “Ganemulla Sanjeewa”.

Speaking during a special press conference held in Colombo today, Police Media Spokesman SSP Buddhika Manathunga said that the suspected woman, who has also disguised as a lawyer and entered the court complex, has brought the gun which was used in the assassination, into the court.

He confirmed that the firearm used in the shooting, a revolver, was smuggled into the court premises by the suspected woman by concealing it inside a hollowed-out book, with the pages cut out in the shape of the gun.

Furthermore, SSP Manathunga who clarified that several gates are available to access the court premises, stated that the assailant had fled the scene from a nearby gate while telling the other people that “there is a shooting inside”.

He also explained that although the police immediately took action to close the gates and conducted a search covering the court premises, the suspect had already left the premises amidst the commotion that followed the situation, whereas the police were managing to ensure the security of the magistrate, prevent any escapes of other suspects within the court premises and several more procedures.

However, the Police Spokesman mentioned that further investigations are carried out by the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) with the assistance of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).