News
Police scour CCTV footage in strategic locations in a bid to find decapitated woman’s head
By Norman Palihawadana
Police have begun checking CCTV footage in other areas to find out where the policeman had thrown the head of the woman he decapitated and also whether any others had helped him to carry out the grisly killing at Hanwella, police officials said.
The headless body of the woman was found inside a travelling bag at Dam Street.
“We are scouring CCTV images in certain strategic locations to gather more information on the movements of the sub inspector implicated in the killing of the woman at a guest house in Hanwella”, they said.
Meanwhile, the funeral of the woman identified as Dilini Yasodha Jayasundara took place at the Theppanawa public cemetery at Kuruwita on March 10.
The victim’s body was released following identification after her DNA matched samples taken from her mother and brother.
Her body was placed in the police morgue until Additional Government Analyst, D. H. L. W. Jayamanne completed the DNA examination. Thereafter, the body was handed over to her relatives on the night of March 9 to be taken to her hometown of Theppanawa in Kuruwita.
Thirty-year-old Thilini Yasodhara was unmarried and lived with her mother, who was a person with special needs, a brother, who was a local politician and an elderly female relative. Her father had died many years ago.
She was not employed and devoted most of her time to painting and social work. She had developed a love affair with the police officer at the time she did some temporary work in the political office of parliamentarian Heshan Vithana. The policemen, S. M. Premasiri (52), a sergeant at the time, served in the security contingent of the MP.
The romance had continued despite the transfer of her partner to serve as a security officer to then Minister Harin Fernando. Subsequently, the policeman was transferred to Buttala police station, close to his hometown of Badalkumbura, where he received a promotion and served as a sub inspector.
Police believe that the suspect policeman may have killed the woman after she continued to insist that they get married. Perhaps, she was unaware that he was a married man with two children.
He had killed the woman inside a guest house room at Hanwella, which the couple had occupied overnight. A woman employee of the guest house had seen him leaving with a travelling bag the previous morning and thought his companion may have left earlier.
Police said that thanks to CCTV footage, they were able to retrace his journey from Hanwella to Colombo in a private bus and later dumping the bag at Dam Street. The decapitated body of the woman was later found by police on being alerted by traders in the vicinity.
A day after the gruesome find in Pettah, a bag belonging to the woman was found at Hanwella. An identity card from a youth camp and an address in Kuruwita were among the contents.
Police investigators were also able to trace the guest house the couple had booked into on the evening of February 28, the day before the woman’s body was found in Pettah. The visitors’ book had revealed Premasiri’s identity and the area he lived in.
When the police closed in on him, Premasiri had escaped to a jungle area near his house at Badalkumbura and committed suicide. His body was later found hanging from a tree. A bottle of poison was also found nearby.
In a suicide note, he had apologized to his wife and two children for the shame over what happened and urged them to be brave and face the future despite whatever obstacles they would have to face He had also asked his family to go ahead with the preparations for his mother’s alms-giving.
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
