There are questions about whether the former Inspector General of Police of Sri Lanka had links to underworld gangs.
It has not yet been confirmed that the suspect naval sailor who is accused of murdering Attorney Buddhika was staying at the house of Deshabandu.
A former Navy sailor, who is a suspect in the shooting and killing of Attorney Buddhika Mallawarachchi and his wife, has revealed information about six murders during police interrogations, including the fatal shooting of retired prison officer and former Superintendent of Boossa Prison, Siridath Dhammika. The shooting took place on March 13, 2025, in Thalagaha, Akmeemana, Galle, according to a senior police officer.
During questioning, the suspect stated that he had never previously been arrested by police for any of these murders. He also said that apart from the prison superintendent’s killing and the lawyer’s murder, he has no clear memory of the other killings he allegedly committed. He claimed that all the other murders were carried out in Elpitiya and surrounding areas.
He further stated that all the killings were carried out on the instructions of “Karandeniya Sudda.” Although he had been arrested four times on drug-related charges, he had never been arrested in connection with any shootings, he told investigators.
Police said they are obtaining details of murders that occurred in Elpitiya and nearby areas from the Police Criminal Records Division and plan to take the suspect to those locations to identify the crimes he allegedly committed.
Police sources also revealed that the murdered lawyer had previously appeared in court for the suspect in a drug case, having been engaged for that purpose by Karandeniya Sudda. The suspect reportedly said he was unaware that he had been assigned to assassinate a lawyer who had once represented him in court. He claimed that he only recognized the lawyer at Akuregoda when he approached the vehicle and was about to open fire.
The suspect also stated that when he attempted to shoot the lawyer’s wife, his firearm jammed. Upon realizing this, the main gunman who shot the lawyer allegedly fired several rounds at the wife using a T-56 weapon.
He further told investigators that Karandeniya Sudda had arranged a foreign passport under a false name to help him flee the country. However, he was unable to leave after the passport was seized by the Police Special Task Force.
A senior police officer stated that it has not yet been confirmed whether this suspect was among those who had stayed at a residence in Kandy said to belong to Deshabandu Tennakoon.
The main suspect is a 40-year-old former Navy sailor from Kananke, Kadawidiya area. Police said he had legally resigned from the Navy in 2009. The other suspects arrested with him in Monaragala are aged 27 and 46 and are residents of Ambalangoda and Angoda.
Police stated that eight suspects have so far been arrested in connection with this double murder.