Julampitiya Amare who is accused of 6 murders .. faces death penalty for Katuwana dual murder

Julampitiya Amare who is accused of 6 murders .. faces death penalty for Katuwana dual murder

Geegana Gamage alias 'Julampitiye Amare' who is considered as a strong underworld element living under shelter of politicians and who incidentally has 6 murder charges against his name has been imposed death sentence by Tangalla high court today. This punishment has been imposed in respect of having shot and killed two persons at a Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna propaganda rally of a provincial election in north - west province in 2012. 

The death penalty was passed on him by Tangalla high court today (7) for having shot at a provincial
public rally held with the attendance of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna central committee member Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa on 15th June in the year 2012 in Hediwaththa area in Katuwana thus killing two persons and causing hurt to one other. 

The court case where Geegana Gamage Amarasiri alias Julampitiye Amare  has been accused of having opened fire at a JVP rally held that day and having murdered the two persons Edirimanna Pathiranage Malani (50) and Jayasekera Pathiranage Heshan (18) and also causing grievous hurt to Neththasingha Liyanage Sujith Nimesha was taken in for hearing from February 29th, 2016. 

A JVP rally was held in Hediwaththa in Katuwana on June 11th, 2012 evening. The said meeting was held at the house of one L.M. Ranjith and this house was known as 'Hediwaththe Pinnamandiye Gedera'. By about seven in the night a group of armed persons had come to the house and had started opening fire and has also launched an attack with clubs. The trauma starts from that point onwards.

By the time police arrived there were persons were shot and two of them have succumbed to their injuries. One dead person was a woman of forty years and Edirimannage Malani while the other was a youth not even eighteen years and J.P. Nimantha by name. Apart from the two had faced serious gunshot injuries, several had faced serious attacks too. Among those who were subjected to attack was the young son of the owner of the house at which place the meeting was held. All his limbs were broken. Other than the vehicles, furniture in the house were totally damaged. 

The persons who came for the attack were identified very clearly by those who were around. It was said that their names and addresses and descriptions had been recorded in the police book of statements. By such identification it was specifically possible to identify that the main suspect who came to commit this crime was an underground thug who had brought the entire area under his control and was a murderer. He was a criminal who had been sent over thirty warrants by high court in connection with six murders, attempt to murder and other crimes all totalling eleven. By name he was Geegana Amarasiri. Right throughout this person "Sampath pudgalaya" has provided main sources of information to all media is introduced to the country as Julampitiye Amare. 

At that time it was said that not even a crow in Tangalla would dare fly over his head. It was also understood that he was keeping connections with the highest category of politicians. This Julampitiye Amare was exposed by a certain newspaper supporting Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna a fortnight back. In addition there was a lengthy description of his political affiliations too. 

Amare who saw this news report came to the house of the brother of a former parliamentary member of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the most senior member of the party Jinadasa Kithulgodage and has threatened his wife with death. After that, three individuals who were involved in Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna activities in Julampitiya area were fatefully attacked by Amare. 

It is said that it was after that he comes to Katuwana and engages in murder. A revolt took place in Tangalla on June 30th in the year 2000. The revolt was put into operation by none other than Julampitiye Amare. By that time he was under punishment in prison for a period of three and a half years. In the end he managed to break jail towards the end of 2002. 

What is heard of Julampitiye Amare is some fantastic stories. He in fact is the main murderer of six people. It was mentioned in court that he was responsible for serious criminal offences such as attempt to murder. All eleven cases were being heard in court. According to police the foremost charge of murder against him was the murder committed by him of murdering Amila Chuty in public with his own gun and the latter was a businessman in Middeniya. In the meantime, it was reported of his other exploits to police such as felling trees and selling them, ganja business, racket where he sells illegal cattle and taking bribes. 

However, as Amare maintained strong political ties, there was hardly anything that police could do. He even stepped on stage of strong politicians in Hambanthota district in the 2005 general elections. Delivered speeches too and even sang songs. He flaunted a T 56 rifle openly. During this era however a rival underground clique sprang up. Its leader was  Neluwe Priyantha. He was killed by the special task force. Subsequently, it was a person called 'Navy Ruwan" who took up leadership of that underground gang. Ruwan who suspected that it was Amare who provided information to the special task force to kill Priyantha then entertained a grudge with this person. In the end Navy Ruwan went into hiding. But Julampitiye Amare led his normal life. 

According to what police say, he moved about in his village by wearing a bullet-proof vest known as 'body armour' armed with a gun. Being on open warrant he   went to police in the area in the same attire. On most occasions when he visited police. Amare used to converse with officer in charge of police by keeping the weapon on his table. 

On one occasion Amare went ahead and chopped down a massive number of jak trees in a land extending to four acres. Police who came to know of this dispatched five police officers in the area to conduct an inquiry in that connection. this underworld 'dog' was so powerful enough to make these police officers in uniform who came on duty kneel down in hot sun for about an hour under the blazing sun. 

The extent of Amare's powers were best expressed by Tangalla high court judge Mr. Chandrasena Rajapaksa. When having hundreds of open warrants against him to be taken into custody, the judge expressed in open court, that on the occasion when this individual went to Tangalla prison to visit a suspect, a chief officer of prisons had had opened the main gate and after letting him in had provided him with the best of facilities. 

Before the Katuwana murder, we meet a 'dog' who has gone to the extent of behaving in a manner so as to degrade the law of the country in a disgusting way such as this, so to say. 

The Katuwana murder takes place on June 11th night, 2012 at seven o'clock. From seven till seven thirty the murderers go on killing without any haste ... destroy furniture. Then by nine in the night what director of media centre of national security of the country, Lakshman Hulugalla says is that this incident of murder is the result of an internal issue of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. In this same era in which police media spokesman, senior superintendent of police, Mr. Ajit Rohana says is the same version. 

The necessity that the government has any inclination to launch an attack of this nature is not necessary where somewhere close upon sixty persons gather and that even before seven hours elapses how the JVP posters are seen all over the country, and the ten internal clashes that arose among Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the Peratugami Samajawadi Party were focused upon and thus had tried to justify their opinions. All these statements take place because attention was not paid to the preliminary complaints with regard to the incident. On that same day inspector general of police pleaded with the public to help tracking Julampitiye Amare. However, Amare does not hold himself responsible for this murder. 

According to inspector general of police, his orders go into action in the following manner. As Amare is linked to kidnapping and murders totalling eight, deputy inspector general of police in charge of the state intelligence service and deputy inspector general of police in charge of criminal investigation department have been to the site of the incident and have begun inquiries. With them, a team from the special task force, a SOCO group with a special training in crime investigation, police dogs and fingerprint experts have been present at the said location. The army intelligence service have also joined to provide support. 

However, the surprising incident is that the following day, the 19th ... Amare dressed in a white-coloured shirt, a whit trouser and a pair of white  shoes happens to surrender to court as an 'upasaka' who has taken sil. After Julampitiye Amare surrendered to police in connection with the shooting incident, he was sent to remand and a case was filed against him by attorney general at Tangalla high court. This sentence incidentally was passed after the case was heard for a period of 7 years.