Woman and gunman disguised as lawyers in Hulftsdorp Court shooting of gangster: Suspected Gunman Arrested in Puttalam

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya  

Two persons including a woman disguised as lawyers were involved in the shooting at the Colombo Hulftsdorp Court Complex yesterday, which resulted in the death of notorious underworld figure ‘Ganemulla Sanjeewa’  Police spokesman SSP Buddhika Manathunga said that a gunman, disguised in a lawyer’s attire, carried out the attack, targeting Sanjeewa in the chamber.  

Sanjeewa was brought to court yesterday morning to be presented in relation to an ongoing court case.  

He was critically injured and succumbed to his injuries after being admitted to the hospital.  

The revolver used in the shooting was found inside the court, and the shooter had fled the scene immediately after the attack.   

Investigations revealed that the person disguised as a lawyer had entered the court empty-handed and had then taken the firearm from the woman in question.  

Police identified the gunman from CCTV footage in the court premises. The spokesman said several police teams including the Colombo Crimes Division conducted investigations.  Culminating in the the suspected gunman in the shooting being arrested by a special STF team from the Palaviya area in Puttalam, last evening, police said.

 The Colombo Magistrate’s Court had ordered the Registrar to take steps to provide the police with all CCTV footage required for the investigation into the shooting.  

The Keselwatte Police reported the incident to Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali yesterday afternoon.  The police were able to find the revolver used in the shooting from the court premises. Investigations revealed that the revolver used for the shooting had been brought into the court concealed inside a book.  

Concerns have been raised about how a firearm was taken into the court premises despite the court being under the protection of the STF.  

It was reported that the lack of inspections on lawyers at the court was exploited by the shooter in yesterday’s attack. Police said that lawyers entering the court premises were not inspected.  

Following the shooting incident inside the Hulftsdorp Court Complex, Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasooriya said that all lawyers will require to undergo inspections before entering court premises in the future.   The Acting IGP assured that measures will be taken to enforce inspections at the court premises.  

The Acting IGP said that the Bar Association of Sri Lanka has been requested to cooperate in implementing these security measures.   He also confirmed that permission will be sought from the relevant authorities to deploy armed personnel for enhanced security at court premises.  “Ganemulla Sanjeewa” was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake upon his return from Nepal on September 13, 2023.  

He had a forged passport in his possession at the time of the arrest, containing personal details of a female believed to be a resident of the Dematagoda area.  
Sanjeewa, who is believed to have illegally entered India by boat, reportedly later fled to Nepal and subsequently returned to Sri Lanka after an international ‘Red Warrant’ was issued for his arrest.