Bamunusingha who pioneered Mohommed Sham murder ... writes MA degree from prison ... smiling away at gallows!

Bamunusingha who pioneered Mohommed Sham murder ... writes MA degree from prison ... smiling away at gallows!

Bamunusingha who was sentenced to gallows for having aided and abetted the murder of millionaire businessman Mohommed Shyam of Bambalapitiya had been engaged in studies while in prison, for his degree and has passed in flying colours and thus worked towards his personal development which story is exemplary. this then is his story, as follows:

Electricity in the court room was switched off.  The verdict was pronounced. "The punishment

enforced on the accused this day by this court is that you you would be taken to Welikada Prison in Colombo will be hanged till death on the date and time as decided upon by the President of Sri Lanka Republic". The verdict is clear. It is a death sentence. The person who was enforced the death sentence was Indika Bamunusingha. He in fact was a former sub-inspector of the police department. the allegation about him was that he had aided and abetted the murder of the murder of millionaire businessman Mohommed Shyam of Bambalapitiya.

On this court verdict given at an unexpected moment, it came as a shock. He even found it difficult even to step down from the dock. His mind was so perplexed. He felt his heartbeat skipping a beat. In the meantime what he hears from a corner of the court room is a sound of weeping. Seeing his relatives making an effort to console them actually brought him much pain. Anyhow he was able to watch his relatives trying to appease them took just a few seconds. He found himself handcuffed. The prison officers were now getting ready to take him away to Welikada Prisons.

The prison bus turned away from court premises. Bamunusingha could see through the grill in the bus his beloved wife looking at him and wiping her tears. The prison bus finally stopped near Welikada Prison. All documentary procedures relating to Bamunusingha were being attended to. Bamunusingha who thus received the death sentence was now being escorted to the ward where such condemned prisoners were taken to. That too was done.

It is the custom of inmates already there to inquire information about newcomers coming to prison. "Ah friend ... how come you are here? What's your crime? Whatever the crime is, you are now one of us ... make up your mind and stay here. This then is the place where we have to die". It was such a response that Bamunusingha who had to remain in prison B ward 3 received from earlier inmates.

A month passed by after Bamunusingha came to the prison. A single day that he spent there he felt as one year. He does not feel hungry ... he does not feel sleepy. He only felt a pain in his heart. 'If I wait this way anymore, I would become a weak person. I would neither gain any benefit by keep thinking. Somehow or other I should make up my mind and get used to this prison'. That incidentally was what Bamunusingha thought.

The time was midnight. the two colleagues in his cell were fast asleep. The prison seems to be a familiar place for them. Bamunusingha began to think so. with this thought his eyes began to droop and close even without being aware of it. it was just a brief moment that he could enjoy that sleep. He felt as if someone was speaking to him. He promptly awoke from his sleep and looked around only to see his two colleagues fast asleep. Bamunusingha then realised that he has only been dreaming. Anyway he realised that whoever spoke to him had given him advice to encourage him. "Yes ... that advice is  something important for me. It's true that I am a person who has been condemned to death ... but better than dying over and over again, what should be done is to keep my mind on one target which is important. I won't get upset. I'll face all challenges that come my way". Bamunusigha began to think that way by dismissing all thoughts that had been giving him torment the past few days.

It was a new dawn. What Bamunusingha wanted was to confront prison chief of Welikada Prison (present prison Commissioner of Rehabilitation)Mr. Chandana Ekanayaka. He then is successful in this attempt through the mediation of Welikada chief jailor Mohan Karunaratna and jailor Premavansha in charge of discipline.

Mr. Ekanayaka posed the question to Bamunusigha asking him as to what problem he has and in a very kind tone. "Sir, it was when I had registered myself to to follow the M.A. degree at Sri Jayawardenepura University that I was given this punishment. Sir, if possible please provide me the opportunity of following that course of studies for that degree ... you'll be blessed". That was how Bamunusingha who placed that problem which kept rotating in his mind in the presence of Mr. Ekanayaka.

"That's a good idea. We'll forward this request to Prison Commissioner General, Mr. Nishan Dhanasingha and see. He also likes people like this who are dedicated". Mr. Ekanayaka said so to Bamunusingha by giving some consolation and hope to him. "Chandana ... I have nothing against this person's request. As he is a person who has been given the death sentence, various issues could crop up in this matter. If this matter could be granted in accordance with prison laws ... then grant his request". That was how Commissioner General Mr. Dhanasingha gave instructions to Mr. Ekanayaka.

"Bamunusingha ... I'll get this opportunity for you by mediating in this case; any consolation. Nowhere in the history of prisons has a person serving a jail-term had sat for an exam and got a degree. If somehow or other you could be successful in your attempt ... your name will be written in records of this department. That will bring great pride to our department also". Mr. Ekanayaka gave such advice to Bamunusingha  displaying the humanity which lay hidden beneath his uniform.

It was during this period that his beloved wife who serves a state establishment arrives to meet Bamunusingha. "You seem to be in a happy mood than on other days ... why are you going to be freed?" It was after that he exposed all information to his wife. She was indeed happy about the opportunity that dawned on her husband. "How are you going to do this? Where are the necessary books that you would need for it? Where are the instructors? It was a chain of questions that was posed to Bamunusingha from his wife. "What you say is true. I'll get advice from the commissioner about this and tell you" was the reply Bamunusingha gave her. "Bamunusingha ... according to rules and regulations of prison, we are unable to give you permission to attend lectures at the university. The best solution is to record those lectures by a relative of yours and get them down. We are able to give support to something like that". That response from Mr. Ekanayaka to Bamunusingha's request was a satisfactory one.

That was how the tapes required for Bamuusingha's degree came into the hands of Bamunusingha. It was his beloved wife who provided the support to him. She took steps to attend lectures at SriJayawardenepura and handed them to Bamunusingha. It was in such a background that Indika Bamunusingha was able to achieve his Arts degree (OA) from Sri Jayawardenepura University on January 5th 2017.

Bamunusingha thus became the first ever prisoner who achieved an Arts degree while following studies enclosed by the four walls of prison and proved his prowess bringing repute to the prisons Department. Bamunusingha was not to stop there. His next target was to register himself with the University of Kelaniya and get his other degree. In this instance he engaged in his studies for that degree too as before. Bamunusingha who devoted himself to this study and faced the post-graduate degree in Sociology (EA) recently in a distinguished manner, creating an international record in the process. He thus became the fifth prisoner to successfully clinch such a degree in the whole world while still being an inmate of a prison.

I had the opportunity of confronting this courageous and determined man who obtained the OA degree from Sri Jayawardenepura University and the EA post-graduate degree from Kelaniya University while undergoing an unpleasant environment within bars, recently. That was on a special permission received from Prison Commissioner General, Mr. Dhanasingha. On that occasion he expressed an idea like this: "After I was given this verdict I felt something like my whole life falling apart. It was when I was spending time with great pain of heart and depression that Mr. Chandana Ekanayaka, former superintendent of Welikada provided me the required support. There were 2 others in my room. The two of them were removed and I was helped to carry on my studies alone by myself. An electric bulb necessary for the room was supplied. I studied for the degree while seated on the ground. Because of that I even developed blisters on my legs. Later the superintendent who came to know of it provided me with a small table and a chair to carry on with my studies. Not only the superintendent ... prisons media spokesman, commissioner Thushara Upuldeniya, Welikada chief jailor Mohan Karunaratna, jailor in charge of discipline Premavansha gave me their utmost support". While receiving such support from prison, he spoke about his beloved wife with tears in his eyes. A number of professors of Sri Jayawardenepura and Kelaniya universities supported him various ways. Bamunusingha has great respect in that connection too.

Mr. Nishan Dhanasingha entertains a great pride about Bamunusingha for having brought such reputation to the prisons department. "Some people think that prison is a camp of torture. But there is humanity that goes beyond that in the prison. We treat every prisoner alike. Not only Bamunusingha ... we take steps to give our biggest support to any prisoner who could come forward to show his skills". The commissioner general said this encouraging other prisoners too.

After noting down comments of Bamunusingha, I wish to place on record a certain statement he made before I took leave of him. "I have made an appeal with regard to the death sentence imposed on me. That case would be taken up in supreme court on 25th September this year. I am not guilty. I know that I will be given freedom. I am now getting ready for my Ph.D. That too I will get through. After I am freed, I will once again go back to the police department".