Remand prisoner kills fellow inmate

Fatal shooting inside Black Maria

by Sarath Malalasekera

A notorious hardcore criminal was shot dead by another hardcore criminal inside their prison vehicle yesterday morning.

The fatal shooting occurred inside a Black Maria parked outside Chief Magistrates Court, Colombo, leaving investigators puzzled as to how a remand prisoner possessed a firearm.

Police Officers attached to the Keselwatta Police on duty at the entrance to the Court arrested the assailant, Aravinda Danushka Perera, with the weapon used to murder remand prisoner Mohamed Rizwan of Maligawatta. It has been established that they were from rival gangs.

Rizwan succumbed to gunshot injuries at the Colombo National Hospital, where he was rushed by two more remand prisoners who were also in the same prison vehicle along with an armed prison guard.

Both Rizwan and Danushka were in remand prison in connection with several murder cases.

According to police investigations, five special prisoners, including the assailant and the murdered prisoner, were taken back to the Black Maria parked outside the Court premises after the Court proceedings.

Danushka's handcuffs had been removed by a prison guard who was on duty as he (Danushka) entered the prison vehicle. Rizwan, who was inside the prison vehicle was speaking to his wife and child through the window.

A few seconds later the assailant had pulled the weapon from his trouser pocket and fired at Rizwan. With blood stained clothes Rizwan had rushed out of the prison bus and fallen on the ground. Two more remand prisoners who were in the same vehicle were also injured in the shooting, Police said.

Ranabahu Kumarasiri Sandanayake, the jailor attached to the remand prison, who was in charge of the special squad yesterday giving evidence before the Colombo Additional Magistrate Ajith Anawaratne said that he was unable to say how the weapon used by the assailant got into his hands while in the custody of prison authorities.

Magistrate Anawaratne who conducted the Magisterial inquiry yesterday severely reprimanded the prison authorities who were on special duty, when they were unable to give a clear answer to the magistrate's questions as to how the prisoner had access to a firearm.

Magistrate- Why did you bring rival groups of prisoners in the same vehicle.

Jailor- On number of occasions I have informed the higher officers about it. But we had to bring them together as there was a shortage of vehicles.

Magistrate- Your prime duty is to provide maximum security for rival groups of remand prisoners.

Jailor- Yes I have provided them maximum security.

Magistrate- If you have provided maximum security how did the remand prisoner get a weapon ?

Jailor- Danushka, the assailant, was with several other remand prisoners at the court cell.

Magistrate- You said that the door of the vehicle was closed when the remand prisoners went in. Then who opened the doors for the injured prisoner to go out of the vehicle.

Jailor- I am unable to say who opened the door.

After the sound of gunfire I went round the prison vehicle look for the assailant.

The two remand prisoners who were injured following the shooting also gave evidence led by Inspector W. M. Chandratilleke, OIC, Keselwatta Police assisted by Constable Appuhamy of Keselwatta police before the Magistrate yesterday.

On an application by Inspector Chandratilleke the Magistrate directed the prison authorities to provide security for the suspect Danushka, who was taken into custody by the Keselwatta police.

Inspector Chandratilleke informed the Magistrate that he would lead evidence of two more witnesses on the next date.

The post mortem report also will be produced on the next date, Inspector Chandratilleke told the Magistrate.

Sub Inspector K. W. Jayarath Sisira, OIC, Colombo Chief Magistrate Court provided security at yesterday's proceedings.

Further hearing was put off for September 5.