COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s most-wanted woman has been arrested in Nepal for her alleged involvement in a brazen courtroom murder of a suspected top drug dealer.
Ishara Sewwandi, aged 25, stands accused of disguising herself as a lawyer to smuggle a revolver inside a hollowed-out copy of the Criminal Procedure Code into a Colombo court last February.
An accomplice also dressed as a lawyer allegedly used the weapon to shoot dead Ganemulle Sanjeewa, who was facing drug-trafficking charges at the time.
Police spokesman F. U. Wootler confirmed Sewwandi’s arrest alongside five other individuals in Nepal this week.
Wootler stated that Sewwandi will be extradited to Sri Lanka to face murder charges.
“We received support from Interpol to locate them, and IT and intelligence support and operational assistance from the Nepali police,“ Wootler told AFP.
Authorities had offered a 1.2 million rupee reward equivalent to $4,000 for information leading to Sewwandi’s capture.
Police investigations revealed she initially escaped to neighbouring India by boat before travelling to Nepal.
Nepal Police spokesman Binod Ghimire confirmed the arrest of six individuals during a four-day operation.
“It was done in close coordination with Sri Lankan authorities,“ Ghimire told AFP.
The alleged mastermind behind the courtroom assassination was previously arrested in Indonesia and extradited to Sri Lanka in June.
Wootler indicated that another 22 Sri Lankan suspects linked to drug-related murders are believed to be sheltering abroad.
Authorities maintain contact with Interpol to track down these remaining suspects. – AFP
