Suspect sold slain Thera’s vehicles for Rs 20 million

Murder of Medagamuwe Mahanama Thera

By Hemantha Randunu

The monk who was arrested for murdering the chief incumbent of the Nandanarama Temple, Wettewa, has confessed on Thursday that he sold the chief incumbent’s vehicles and wanted to go to Dubai to live with his girlfriend.The victim, Medagamuwe Mahanama Thera, had a Defender Jeep and a car. The two vehicles was sold for 20 million rupees. The Defender Jeep had been sold for 13.5 million. The WagonR was sold for 6.5 million rupees.

The suspect had said that it was his girlfriend who had asked him to kill Mahanama Thera, sell his assets and send the money to Dubai. The mother and father of the suspect’s girlfriend are missing, the police say. The suspect is 19-years-old. The suspect was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport on Wednesday night. He was trying to travel to Dubai.

Seeduwa Police said that the suspect had continuously asked the victims to transfer the ownership of the vehicles to him. Two complaints have also been lodged at the Seeduwa Police. The suspect’s girlfriend was also involved with a businessman, who had helped her travel to Dubai.

Police have also found that the suspect purchased air tickets to Dubai prior to the murder. The mother and father of the suspect’s girlfriend had come to the temple to kill Mahanama Thera on 12 September. The three entered Mahanama Thera’s room, assaulted him and then strangled him.