At least 42 CCTV footages have been examined in connection with the investigation into the controversial murder of Non-Executive Director Janashakthi Life Insurance Co. Ltd Dinesh Schaffter, who was found unconscious at the Borella Cemetery, and was later pronounced dead, a senior Police Officer said.
CCTV footage was examined on the road that connects Flower Road, Cinnamon Gardens, where Schaffter lived to Borella Cemetery.
On 15 December, around 5.00 am, an executive officer and an employee of Borella Cemetery saw Schaffter in the car, with his hands and neck tied with wires, untied the wires and admitted him to the Colombo National Hospital, where he died five hours later while receiving treatment in the intensive care unit.
According to Police, the executive officer went to the cemetery after receiving a call from the victim’s wife.
The officer said statements had been obtained from the victim’s wife, as well as a well-known cricket commentator, Brian Thomas, and nearly twenty-five people, including Borella cemetery employees.
Furthermore, an investigation into the mobile phone of Schaffter, who was killed, has begun, and the analysis reports of several other mobile phones are also being investigated, according to the official.
According to the Police, Schaffter left home around 1:30 p.m. on 15 December and told his wife he was going to a meeting for half an hour.
Schaffter also informed executive officer Chris Perera that he would be meeting Brian Thomas, Police said.
The victim had put the tower location on the executive officer’s mobile phone in the model farm area, according to police investigations. According to the investigation, Schaffter, who was killed, had made plans to travel to England with his wife at around 8.15 p.m. on the day of the murder. Investigation also revealed that his wife has been calling him from time to time as they planned to travel to BIA around 4 p.m. Meanwhile, in connection with the murder, Youtuber Chamuditha Samarawickrama was summoned to the Homicide and Organized Crime Investigation Division of CID, where his statement was obtained for nearly two and a half hours, according to Police sources.
According to Police sources, Samarawickrama has been questioned about the interview he conducted last Friday on a YouTube channel with Keerthi Ratnayake, a former Air Force officer.
Investigations are being conducted on the orders of SSP Hemal Prashantha, Director of the CID, Homicide and Organized Crime Investigation Division to apprehend the suspects in the mysterious murder of Schaffter.
BY Bimal Jayasinghe – Colombo
