Couple who provide accommodation to murder suspect ’Booru Moona’ arrested

The couple who had provided accommodation to a murder suspect known as 'Booru Moona' who had escaped from police custody at the Katunayake Airport, had been arrested by the STF during a raid in Nuwara Eliya.

The STF said a 35-year-old naval officer was among the arrested. The woman was identified as a 32-year old and they were residents of Millaniya.

Earlier, four police officers were arrested after the murder suspect "Booru Moona", a deserter from the Sri Lanka Navy had tried to flee the country. The suspect had reportedly committed at least 9 murders all over the country and tried to flee to a foreign country under a false name. He had escaped from the custody of the Katunayake Airport Police.

It was revealed that the arrested couple had not only provided accommodation to 'Booru Moona' but also had provided money to make a forged passport to the suspect to flee to another country.

Earlier, it was reported that as soon as the suspect was arrested, the couple living at a house in Millaniya in Horana disappeared from that house and only the pet dog of the house was left alone. It was alleged that a Chief Inspector (CI) of Police reportedly deployed a police constable to take away a pet dog from the home of the couple.

The couple was arrested following the information collected through the CCTV footage.

The suspect couple was handed over to the Negombo Crimes Investigation Division. (Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)