KARANDENIYA TRIPLE MURDER REVEALED

Deceased Sriyani's story of associating another husband and his son

   It was reported recently of how a mother, small girl and son was murdered been inhumanely cut while sleeping on their bed. The mother and 2 children were so murdered with an axe used for cutting cinnamon. Four days after the incident which happened last 28th, the police on a tip off from the neighbours inspected the house when a foul smell pervaded the house and the dead bodies were in a condition beyond recognition.

  A neighbouring son and father supposed to be responsible for the killing had been taken into custody. According to their statements, the dead Sriyani (41) has had an illicit affair with both of them and the closest reason for her to be murdered is her rejection of both of them.
 
  Udugamage Sriyani Pushpalatha who was living in Akkara 24waththa in Naminigoda, Karandeniya was a mother. Pasindu Sampath, 8 years and Dilhani Kumari, 7 years were the two children who succumbed to this unfortunate fate. The house where the murder took place was situated close to a stretch of fields towards the interior of the village.

  Though the police were unable to detect any clue in the preliminary investigations, Senior Police Superintendent Mr.Athula Weerasinghe after remaining for several hours at the site of the murder left the place at about 6.45 in the evening and had gone to a three-way junction about a 100 meters from the house and which rested along the Kotawalabedda narrow road where the murder had taken place in order to reverse his motor vehicle. His suspicion was aroused on seeing a nearby house which strangely had its doors and windows closed in complete darkness. Though a large crowd in the area and in adjoining areas would usually throng to the place where an incident as serious as a triple murder had taken place in order to see the aftermath, this house alone in the same neighbourhood having all doors shut and in total darkness supplied a fine clue for a police officer with an acute sense to trap the assailants. It was after this that the police officer began to collect all information. The police were able to find out that a person who was set free from imprisonment because of a previous murder was living there. It was also reported that this individual has had an illicit relationship with the deceased woman when they checked further information on a doubtful basis. Later the police questioned the man directly for purposes of eliciting information necessary. It was a special feature that this person who was suspected of the killing had volunteered to join in with the discussion with the police officers without any reservation. As soon as the police officer remarked,"If this fellow who committed he murder is caught ..... he shouldn't be spared!" the police were able to notice how the body-language of the suspect changed entirely. The police later identified him as a wanted suspect who was necessary for further interrogation. When searching for both the main suspect Peduru Hewage Siripala (57) and his son Nissanka Imesh (26), it was said that Siripala had been in jail for homicide some years ago and returned to the village. He had killed another man who is supposed to have had an attachment with the deceased woman Sriyani. Siripala's wife had died about 20 years ago. Siripala has 3 children and 2 of them are not in the country. The other person who was another suspect was Imesh Nissanka, a father of 1 child and was incidentally Siripala's son. Imesha's wife had left him 7 years ago and only he and is supposed to have lived alone in this house. It was mentioned that the husband of Sriyani who was living in a neighbouring house had left her about 8 years ago and it was these two who had helped Sriyani who was at that time living a destitute life with her children.

     Under extensive questioning the main suspect Siripala unravelled all information about the murder in this manner:
                                                 "I maintained an illicit relationship with Sriyani for about 20 years. She began to reject me of late. She even scolded me with harsh words and avoided me. I developed a hatred towards her and decided to murder her somehow or the other.At about 12.30 in the night last 24th I took two axes and together with my son Imesh Nissanka I entered Sriyani's house and dealt her a blow. She was sleeping on the bed in the room. Then she yelled immediately. Exactly at that time the small son Pasindu asked "Why uncle?" when Imesh dealt him too a blow with the axe. Then when the small daughter Dilhani started running out of the room and she also was murdered. Then both of us ran out from there. Since my wife died 20 years ago, I carried on this illicit affair with Sriyani. I spent every cent I earned on her. At the same time I came to know that she was carrying on a secret affair with another person in our own village. Although I asked about this from her, she said that it was a kie. I was on watch about this and one day the two of them got caught to me redhanded and I killed him. For that murder I spent 7 years in jail and came back after that. In the meantime I got to know that she was having an affair with my son Imesh too. When I asked about it she said that that too was a lie and scolded me incessantly. By that time I had a hatred and an anger about her. On every such occasion I drank liquor in a most unusual manner. She kept on avoiding me. I couldn't bear this. I decided that somehow or the other I'd kill her. On the night of 24th I drank liquor and gave my son to drink the rest. Later I told him that there's something to do before dawn the next day. He didn't inquire as to what it was. He simply agreed because I told him. I went to Sriyani's house at about 12.30 in the night. There are no doors in that house. There is a wooden door in the room where Sriyani used to sleep with her daughter and son. That door is not locked. I and my son pushed the door open and entered the room. Sriyani was sleeping on the bed with the daughter and son. I at once ealt a blow to Sriyani with the axe. Then she shouted 'Budu ammo'. Later after killing all three of them I and my son went home along the marshy-land road. I washed the blood-stained clothes and the 2 axes and went to sleep. After 4 days those close to Sriyani's house had sensed an unbearable foul-smell and had informed the police. Though we saw a large crowd gathered there with the police we did noy even sight the place".

     The police were able to get at Siripala and Imesh because of their queer behaviour after the incident.

     Court proceedings are underway where both of them are concerned.