How Makandure Madush carried out diamond plunder

How Makandure Madush carried out diamond plunder 

Another accomplice of Makandure Madush who was connected to the incident where a diamond worth over Rs. 700 crores and some other gems by barging into a house of a millionaire businessman in Erewwala, Pannipitiya by appearing as police officers was cornered day before yesterday (1) at Maliban Junction, Ratmalana. This person who is known as Matara malli made a confession after which all relevant information has now been revealed.

The suspect taken into custody is one Thusitha Maduranga (38) living in Rotumba area in Matara.

Makandure Madush has promised him a sum of 50 lakhs for this robbery and as an advance he had been given Rs. 2 lakhs and mobile phone, it was reported. Police say that this suspect has over 10 cases of litigation regarding manslaughter and robberies committed by threatening with weapons and where cash and jewellery were stolen. He was imprisoned in connection with those incidents and has been released on bail.

For sometime he had been engaged in looting and crimes in the company of Madush and was confined to jail after which he was released on bail and had been engaged as a driver at a temple in Weeraketiya area, police say. He had made connections with Madush once more from March last year and thereby got involved in this high-scale robbery with the motive of getting this sum of Rs. 50 lakhs. On the notice of Madush, he had come to Piliyandala last 4th and got himself involved in this robbery, it is reported.

The foreigner and a gem broker has gone to the businessman's house before committing this crime to have a look at the diamond under reference as a part of the strategy of Madush. These two had gone to the house concerned and after inspecting the diamond has provided all relevant information to Madush and thereby the robbery has been planned.

"It is reported that this suspect Matara malli has after coming to Piliyandala later got into a van in which accomplices of Madush was travelling, it is understood. Three persons had travelled in this vehicle in the company of the driver and at that time a 3.3 m.m. revolver and a pair of manacles were handed over to him. After accomplices of Madush has handed over the pair of manacles to to Matara malli he was asked to approach the Erawwala house disguised as a policeman and to handcuff the foreigner and to load him into the van. It was also reported that a person who was in the group was to dress himself to a costume similar to that of a policeman when within the vehicle and had himself armed himself with a pistol. The foreigner connected to the robbery on last November 5th had gone to the Erewwala house by saying that he wanted to by the gems and after about half an hour later the gang of looters had barged into the house in police dress and saying, "we are from police ... this foreigner is a suspect" had thus engaged in play-acting when the foreigner has in that instance has grabbed the diamond on the pretence of asking, "what is it?" On that occasion the robbers have made people in the house kneel down and gone ahead with looting the diamond and gems there, after which they had fled in the van with the foreigner.

The day after this robbery the foreigner connect to this crime and the person living in Grandpass who played the role of gem broker had fled from this country. Police suspect that they had taken this diamond worth over 700 crores and had given it to Makandure Madush. One person of this incident was arrested before and according to the interrogation that followed, Matara malli was arrested at Maliban Junction, Ratmalana. The suspect was produced before Nugegoda Magistrate's Court yesterday (2) and orders were given to keep him under detention for 48 hours.