Ishara Sewwandi, Accused of Aiding Hulftsdorp Gunman, Brought Back to Colombo

COLOMBO – Ishara Sewwandi, the key female fugitive wanted in connection with the high-profile murder of underworld figure Sanjeewa Kumara Samararatne, alias ‘Ganemulla Sanjeewa,’ was successfully brought back to Sri Lanka today after being arrested in Nepal yesterday (October 14).

The suspect and five other individuals arrested with her landed at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) at 6:54 p.m., according to Ada Derana reports. The group is now scheduled to be handed over to the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) for further investigation and legal action.

Details of the Arrest and Extradition

Ishara Sewwandi was taken into custody in Nepal during a joint operation carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Nepal Police. Five other suspects were also arrested during the same operation, including a close associate of underworld leader ‘Kehelbaddara Padme,’ who is already in police custody in Sri Lanka.

A special team of two Special Task Force (STF) personnel had previously flown to Nepal to assist the CID in coordinating the extradition of the six suspects.

Role in the Hulftsdorp Shooting

The 25-year-old suspect, Pingpura Dewage Ishara Sewwandi, is believed to have played a crucial role by assisting the gunman responsible for the fatal shooting of 'Ganemulla Sanjeewa.'

The murder occurred on February 19 within the premises of the Hulftsdorp Magistrate’s Court No. 05, a shocking incident that brought the dangers of underworld violence into the country’s judicial system. Since the day of the incident, Sewwandi had been in hiding, making her whereabouts unknown to authorities.

The CID first uncovered that Ishara Sewwandi had fled the country last month during interrogations of ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’ and other suspects who were arrested and brought back from Jakarta, Indonesia. Her successful extradition marks a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the Hulftsdorp court murder. (NewsCenter)