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Mystery deepens over Dinesh Schaffter death
Criminal investigators have begun looking for a motive and suspects after a majority opinion of forensic experts ruled that the death of corporate executive Dinseh Schaffter was a murder and not suicide.
Four of the five experts had said that Schaffter died in December 2022 following “pressure applied to his neck and face.” The dissenting opinion was that it was a “complex suicide” committed by ingesting cyanide while trying to make the death look like murder.
“The circumstantial evidence, the timeline last events, observations of first autopsy and second autopsy findings are indicative of ‘complex suicide,’” the Judicial Medical Officer of the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, Dr. R. P. Ruwanpura said.
He noted a “probable attempt to mimic homicidal circumstances,” to mask the suicide and distract the investigators, a line that is rejected by the three academics – professors Asela Mendis of Colombo University, U. C. P. Perera of Ruhuna and D. M. G. Fernando of Peradeniya.
Former JMO of the Kandy Hospital, Dr. M. Sivasubramaniam, also agreed with the majority opinion. The majority disagreed with the findings of Dr. Ruwanpura that cyanide poisoning caused the death. The majority held that the victim died of asphyxiation.
“The level of cyanide detected in blood taken from the blood vessel is less than the fatal level,” according to the majority opinion. “Therefore, it is not possible to attribute the death to cyanide. It is also not possible to postulate the degree of contribution of this non-fatal level of cyanide in blood to the death.”
Dr. Ruwanpura noted that blood samples had been tested seven days later and that was the reason to show a lower level of cyanide. He also notes that lesions (marks) Schaffter’s neck and face were due to attempts at the hospital to resuscitate him, due to two autopsies, embalming and decomposition and not fatal injuries.
Although there was such a divergence of expert opinion, Additional Colombo magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya ruled that there were reasonable grounds to rule the death as a murder and asked the police to investigate and arrest suspects and produce them before her.
Police said they were consulting the Attorney General for new direction in the case which they had earlier considered a suicide after failing to establish a credible motive or suspects.
“We must look at this case a fresh. We can’t exclude an insurance angle. The new investigation would focus on the kind of coverage the victim had, who would be the beneficiaries. Who would have a motive to murder,” a senior investigator said.
Several of Schaffter’s business associates have already been interviewed by investigators. A former cricket commentator and media personality Brian Thomas who is said to owe a large amount of money to Schaffter had been questioned.
A phone analysis of Schaffter’s telephone and all the mobile devices that were operating at the time in the vicinity of the murder scene – Borella kanatte – failed to point to a possible suspect, according to the investigator who asked not to be named.
CCTV footage along the route he took on his final drive suggested that he travelled alone in his Toyota Camry, he said.
Following the magistrate’s ruling to issue a death certificate to the next of kin, the family issued a statement thanking those who stood by them and saying that they could now begin to mourn.The family accused unnamed officials of “prying into our lives” to push the “suicide narrative.”
“The lie was printed across headlines, whispered behind our backs, and told to our faces by heartless professionals who should, and did, know better. In the days and months following Dinesh’s death, the suicide narrative continued to be pressed on us.
“So rather than seek justice for a murder, we desperately tried to avert the injustice of an obvious lie,” they said.
The “suicide” ruling was in February after a toxicology report that showed cyanide in the stomach contents of Schaffter. Initially, the cause of death was “strangulation.”
“We are back at the beginning,” the family said in a statement posted on social media. “With the injustice of his murder a reality we can only now begin to mourn.”
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
