The Ishara Sewwandi Great Escape: From Nepal to Colombo’s Crime Files

The Return of a Fugitive

Ishara Sewwandi, the woman at the centre of the Ganemulla Sanjeewa murder investigation, is back in Sri Lanka. Arrested in Nepal and flown under tight security, she now faces 90 days of extended custody after the Ministry of Defence approved the police request for long-term interrogation.

Behind the headlines lies a tangled web of underworld ties, police complicity, and hidden money trails that stretch from Gampaha to Dubai and even Belarus.

How a Buried Phone Broke the Silence

For weeks, police struggled to trace her digital footprint. But during intense questioning, Ishara finally broke her silence, revealing that she had buried her mobile phone in Gampaha. Acting on that tip, the Colombo Crime Division unearthed the device — a small but crucial piece in the expanding puzzle of Sri Lanka’s latest organised-crime drama.

The Policeman Who Looked Away

Among those arrested is a police constable from Aluthgama, accused of harbouring Ishara while withholding information about her whereabouts.

Investigators say the officer knew she was hiding in Welipanna but chose not to report it. The twist deepens: the constable is married to the daughter of the woman who sheltered Ishara. Family ties, it seems, outweighed his oath to the uniform.

The Welipanna Safe House

After the murder of Ganemulla Sanjeewa on February 19, Ishara found refuge in a quiet house in Welipanna. Police sources confirm that she stayed there for more than six weeks, aided by several associates who helped her remain off the radar. The house owner is now behind bars.

Gampaha Baba and the Drug Chain

Further north, investigators from the Kelaniya Crime Division questioned a man known as “Gampaha Baba.” He admitted knowing the infamous “Kehelbaddara Padme” through her father and confessed to working within her drug network.

He also claimed that a cab used in an attempted hit on “Gampaha Osman” was hidden on Padme’s instructions.

A Grenade in Nugegoda

Another breakthrough came when “Nugegoda Babee,” a known associate, was interrogated. Acting on his confession, police dug up a live hand grenade and ten live bullets buried near his Jambugasmulla home — proof that Colombo’s underworld remains dangerously armed.

Matugama Shan and the Money Trail

The investigation spread further when detectives arrested a man who had provided Ishara with lodging. He turned out to be a close ally of “Matugama Shan,” an underworld operator tied to major drug and extortion rings.

Simultaneously, a barber from Gandara — believed to have handled over Rs. 330 million in illegal transactions — was taken into custody. His financial records suggest he managed the money operations for “Loku Pati,” the prime suspect in the Club Wasantha killing.

The Fall of “Loku Pati”

Sujeewa Ruwan Kumara de Silva, known as “Loku Pati,” was once a soldier of the 7th Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army. He fled the country on forged documents and lived under assumed identities in Dubai and Belarus before being captured under an Interpol Red Notice.

Deported to Colombo in May 2024, he is now the most valuable source for the police. His confessions have already exposed an intricate network linking the drug underworld, ex-military operatives, and overseas money handlers.

The Motive Behind Club Wasantha’s Murder

In his testimony, Loku Pati claimed that the murder of nightclub owner “Club Wasantha” was sparked by a financial dispute between underworld bosses Makandure Madush and Kanjipani Imran.

Madush’s death left millions of rupees unclaimed, and Kanjipani wanted the money allegedly held by Club Wasantha. When the demand was rejected, the feud turned deadly.

The YouTube Interview That Predicted Death

Months before his murder, Club Wasantha appeared in a YouTube interview saying,

“Two people are after me. One is dead, the other has fled the country.”

According to police, he was referring to Madush (dead) and Kanjipani (in hiding). Eight months later, on July 8, 2024, he was shot dead — just as he had warned.

From the Battlefield to the Underworld

“Loku Pati” revealed that he joined the army young and learned discipline and weapon handling there — skills that later served darker purposes. After leaving service, he slipped into the Colombo underworld, working as a logistics man for Kanjipani Imran and others.

He told police that after the Club Wasantha hit, he fled to Belarus with “Rotumba Amila.” Both men were eventually captured and sent back to Sri Lanka.

The Broader Picture

The Ishara Sewwandi saga has grown far beyond a single murder case. It now exposes how criminal networks operate across police, military, and civilian layers — a system that has survived decades of crackdowns.

With Ishara, Loku Pati, and their associates in custody, investigators are piecing together a story that links money laundering, drug trafficking, and political protection.

For the public, it’s another reminder that beneath the calm surface of everyday Sri Lanka lies a storm of secrets, alliances, and betrayals.