Seven suspects, including the gunman arrested in connection with the shooting and killing of Lasantha Wickramasekara, the Chairman of the Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha have been remanded until November 13.
Of the nine suspects arrested in connection, seven of them were produced before the Matara Magistrate’s Court today (30).
Accordingly, Chief Magistrate of Matara Chathura Dissanayake ordered that the seven suspects be held in remand custody until November 13.
Among the suspects are the gunman, the motorcycle rider, the wife of the gunman, a person who aided him to evade arrest after the incident and two others who assisted him in Sahasrapura, Borella.
Wickramasekara was shot dead on October 22, inside his office at the Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha premises by a gunman wearing a facemask and disguised as a visitor.
According to police, the assailant, dressed in a white shirt and wearing a black face mask, entered the PS chairman’s office under the pretext of signing a letter.
CCTV footage showed the suspect firing four shots at Wickramasekara, who was seated at his official desk, before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle with an accomplice.
The Pradeshiya Sabha chairman sustained injuries to the head, chest, and abdomen and was admitted to Matara General Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Following the incident, four police teams were deployed under the direct supervision of SDIG Kithsiri Jayalath to investigate and apprehend those responsible.
