90-day detention order issued to question suspected gunman in Akuregoda double murder
February 22, 2026 03:05 pm
A 90-day detention order has been obtained to question the suspected gunman arrested in connection with the killing of a lawyer and his wife in Akuregoda, the Homagama Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau said.
The detention order has been issued under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, enabling investigators to detain and interrogate the suspect for an extended period.
The suspect was arrested in Delduwa, Ambalangoda by a team of officers yesterday, following intelligence received by police. He was taken into custody when officers arrived at a house where he had been staying while conducting surveillance in a nearby cinnamon estate.
Investigations have revealed that the suspect had been hiding in the cinnamon plantation during the day and returned to the house only at night to sleep.
Police said the suspect is believed to be the gunman who first opened fire on the lawyer using a T-56 assault rifle, fatally shooting him.
According to investigators, after carrying out the shooting, the gunman fled in the same vehicle used in the crime and got off in Kottawa. He then travelled by bus to Maharagama and later took another bus to Ambalangoda.
The suspect, a resident of Baddegama, is reported to have previously served in the Sri Lanka Army.
The arrest comes amid intense public scrutiny over the high-profile double murder, with various parties criticising delays in apprehending the perpetrators.
Several other suspects have also been taken into custody in connection with the incident reported on February 13.
