Sri Lanka Police have launched an investigation into a 34-year-old man from Rathgama for allegedly aiding and abetting the assassination of five people in Beliatte, recently.

The suspect, who was apprehended in the Dodanduwa area on Saturday (27), is being held under a seven-day detention order, and is believed to have played a crucial role in transporting the murder weapons and assisting the main perpetrator.

According to police reports, the suspect took two T56 firearms used in the killings from the main suspect and transported them from Akuressa to Karapitiya on a motorcycle. 

Police have also seized the motorcycle used in this operation, along with two mobile phones belonging to the suspect. He was handed over to the Beliatte police for further investigation.

This latest arrest brings the total number of individuals detained in connection with the Beliatta murders to four. 

In a shocking incident that unfolded on the morning of the 22nd of January 2024, near the Beliatte entrance of the Southern Expressway, five individuals, including the leader of the Ape Janbala Party, Saman Perera, lost their lives in a targeted shooting. 

The assailants, armed with T-56 guns, ambushed the victims as they entered a local hotel in a Defender-type jeep. 

Eyewitnesses reported a second jeep arriving from behind, from which the attackers swiftly approached the victims and opened fire.

The leader of the Ape Janbala Party, Saman Perera, who was a candidate in the 2020 presidential election, was specifically targeted and chased down. 

Unfortunately, he succumbed to gunshot wounds at a location where escape seemed impossible. 

Four others were fatally shot on the spot, while another victim passed away after being rushed to the hospital.

The other deceased were: Ilekuttige Sameera Madushanka alias Surathala from Bentota, Kumara Vidanalage Hasitha Sanju from Induruwa, Baiyadurayalage Buddhika Rajapaksa from Kurunegala, and Kannangara Koraralage Naleen Champika Jayathilake from Dematagoda.

Post-mortem examinations on their bodies were conducted at the Tangalle Primary Hospital.

Attention has been drawn to past incidents involving the victims. 

On June 5, 2022, the Tangalle police repeatedly arrested the individuals involved in the shooting of Asun Chamara and three others.

The shooter, and five others who aided in the crime were arrested from time to time by the Tangalle Police. 

Notably, Sameera Madushanka alias Suratala, one of the suspects in the earlier case, was among those killed in the Beliatte shooting.

Saman Perera and his group were en route to Tangalle to appear in the Asun Chamara shooting case when they were attacked.

It has been reported that two people linked to the murder of one Asela Sampath on June 5 of the previous year are also among the deceased.

The Ape Janbala Party, which secured one seat on the national list in the last general election, faced controversy over the appointment of candidates. 

Venerable Vedinigama Wimalatissa Thera, the party's then-secretary, went missing for a few days before publicly announcing his kidnapping. 

Reverend Athuralye Rathana Thero eventually filled the parliamentary seat.

In the aftermath of Saman Perera's assassination, the party's former media spokesperson, Asela Dharmasiri, expressed his grief on social media, hinting at unity within the party to prepare for parliamentary appearances. 

Sri Lankan police apprehended the key suspect in the high-profile case that gripped the nation, two days after the murders

The operation, led by the Hakmana police station, culminated in the arrest of the 54-year-old businessman, believed to be behind the orchestrated murder.

According to Deputy Inspector General of Police Nihal Talduwa, the suspect, operating out of Peliyagoda Manning Market, has a checkered past marred by multiple criminal convictions.

Initial investigations suggest he acted in concert with another individual, potentially orchestrating the act based on their pre-existing relationship.

Furthermore, DIG Talduwa revealed disturbing indications of involvement by organized criminal elements operating from abroad, adding a complex new layer to the investigation.

To tackle this multifaceted case, a collaborative effort has been mounted by the Criminal Investigation Department, the Colombo Crime Division, and the Police Special Task Force.

Additionally, the Pajero-type jeep used in the attack has been recovered from the premises of Vidyaloka Piriven in Galle, offering crucial evidence. 

The arrest of the prime suspect and the recovery of the vehicle represent significant steps forward in the investigation. 

Later, a motorcycle and van believed to be involved in the heinous assassination of  Saman Perera, and four of his associates were apprehended by local authorities in Akuressa, Bathgama

The Akuressa police confirmed that the motorcycle used in the attack was not only a means of transportation for the assailants but also served as a vehicle to transport lethal weapons. 

The van, which had been prepared for a quick escape after the shooting, has also been taken into custody, shedding light on the premeditated nature of the crime.