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Mystery deepens over Dinesh Schaffter death

Published

2 years ago

2023/11/5

Criminal investigators have begun looking for a motive and suspects after a majority opinion of forensic experts ruled that the death of corporate executive Dinseh Schaffter was a murder and not suicide.

Four of the five experts had said that Schaffter died in December 2022 following “pressure applied to his neck and face.” The dissenting opinion was that it was a “complex suicide” committed by ingesting cyanide while trying to make the death look like murder.

“The circumstantial evidence, the timeline last events, observations of first autopsy and second autopsy findings are indicative of ‘complex suicide,’” the Judicial Medical Officer of the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, Dr. R. P. Ruwanpura said.

He noted a “probable attempt to mimic homicidal circumstances,” to mask the suicide and distract the investigators, a line that is rejected by the three academics – professors Asela Mendis of Colombo University, U. C. P. Perera of Ruhuna and D. M. G. Fernando of Peradeniya.

Former JMO of the Kandy Hospital, Dr. M. Sivasubramaniam, also agreed with the majority opinion. The majority disagreed with the findings of Dr. Ruwanpura that cyanide poisoning caused the death. The majority held that the victim died of asphyxiation.

“The level of cyanide detected in blood taken from the blood vessel is less than the fatal level,” according to the majority opinion. “Therefore, it is not possible to attribute the death to cyanide. It is also not possible to postulate the degree of contribution of this non-fatal level of cyanide in blood to the death.”

Dr. Ruwanpura noted that blood samples had been tested seven days later and that was the reason to show a lower level of cyanide. He also notes that lesions (marks) Schaffter’s neck and face were due to attempts at the hospital to resuscitate him, due to two autopsies, embalming and decomposition and not fatal injuries.

Although there was such a divergence of expert opinion, Additional Colombo magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya ruled that there were reasonable grounds to rule the death as a murder and asked the police to investigate and arrest suspects and produce them before her.

Police said they were consulting the Attorney General for new direction in the case which they had earlier considered a suicide after failing to establish a credible motive or suspects.

“We must look at this case a fresh. We can’t exclude an insurance angle. The new investigation would focus on the kind of coverage the victim had, who would be the beneficiaries. Who would have a motive to murder,” a senior investigator said.

Several of Schaffter’s business associates have already been interviewed by investigators. A former cricket commentator and media personality Brian Thomas who is said to owe a large amount of money to Schaffter had been questioned.

A phone analysis of Schaffter’s telephone and all the mobile devices that were operating at the time in the vicinity of the murder scene – Borella kanatte – failed to point to a possible suspect, according to the investigator who asked not to be named.

CCTV footage along the route he took on his final drive suggested that he travelled alone in his Toyota Camry, he said.

Following the magistrate’s ruling to issue a death certificate to the next of kin, the family issued a statement thanking those who stood by them and saying that they could now begin to mourn.The family accused unnamed officials of “prying into our lives” to push the “suicide narrative.”

“The lie was printed across headlines, whispered behind our backs, and told to our faces by heartless professionals who should, and did, know better. In the days and months following Dinesh’s death, the suicide narrative continued to be pressed on us.

“So rather than seek justice for a murder, we desperately tried to avert the injustice of an obvious lie,” they said.

The “suicide” ruling was in February after a toxicology report that showed cyanide in the stomach contents of Schaffter. Initially, the cause of death was “strangulation.”

“We are back at the beginning,” the family said in a statement posted on social media. “With the injustice of his murder a reality we can only now begin to mourn.”

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Courtesy call by the Heads of Mission- Designate on Prime Minister

Published

9 hours ago

2026/03/28

Priyan

The heads of mission designate to Sri Lanka paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on 26th of March at the Prime Minister’s office.

The delegation comprised Dharshana M. Perera, High Commissioner – designate of Sri Lanka to Malaysia, Ms. Dayani Mendis, Ambassador and PRUN – designate of Sri Lanka to Austria, Ms. N.I.D. Paranavitana, Ambassador – designate of Sri Lanka to Ethiopia & African Union, Prof. (Ms.) M.I. Fazeeha Azmi,Ambassador – designate of Sri Lanka to Iran, Saman Kumara Chandrasiri, Ambassador – designate of Sri Lanka to Israel, and M. Farook M. Fawzer, Representative – designate of Sri Lanka to Palestine.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, extended her best wishes to the Heads of Mission–designate and underscored the importance of their forthcoming assignments in advancing Sri Lanka’s national interests emphasizing their collective role in contributing towards the socio-economic upliftment of Sri Lanka.

The Prime Minister further highlighted the importance of projecting a positive and credible image of Sri Lanka internationally, through consistent, professional, and strategic engagement in their respective host countries and multilateral platforms.

She encouraged the Heads of Mission to actively identify and facilitate high-quality investment opportunities, particularly in sectors aligned with Sri Lanka’s development priorities, with a focus on sustainability, innovation, and long-term value addition.

Particular emphasis was placed on the promotion and diversification of Sri Lanka’s exports, including the exploration of new markets and strengthening trade linkages.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister Ms. Sagarika Bogahawatta and heads of mission-designate.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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SC finds Keheliya, others, guilty of violating FRs of public through corrupt drug procurement deal

Published

11 hours ago

2026/03/28

Thilina Walpola

The Supreme Court yesterday held former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and several senior health officials liable for violating the fundamental rights of the public over a controversial drug procurement carried out under the 2022 Indian Credit Line.

Delivering the judgment, a three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, and comprising Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe and Justice Janak de Silva, found that the procurement of medical supplies from an unregistered company, in breach of established procedures, had resulted in a serious infringement of public rights.

The Court ruled that the granting of a Waiver of Registration by the authorities was “wrongful, arbitrary and capricious,” and held that the direct procurement carried out on an unsolicited basis was unlawful. The transaction was accordingly declared null and void.

In a significant order, the Court directed Rambukwella to pay Rs. 75 million in compensation to the State from his personal funds.

The then Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Chandragupta and former Chairman of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), Prof. S. D. Jayaratne, were each ordered to pay Rs. 50 million.

The Court further directed NMRA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Wijith Gunasekara and former Director of the Medical Supplies Division Dr. Thusitha Sudarshana to pay Rs. 50 million each as compensation.

The ruling followed the hearing of a fundamental rights petition filed by Transparency International Sri Lanka and two other parties.

The Court also instructed the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption to initiate appropriate action under the Anti-Corruption Act against those found responsible.

Senior Counsel Senany Dayaratne, with Nishadi Wickramasinghe, Lasanthika Hettiarachchi, Janani Abeywickrema and Maheshika Bandara, appeared for the petitioners.

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Sajith nudges govt. to follow India’s example in giving relief to consumers by slashing taxes on fuel

Published

11 hours ago

2026/03/28

Thilina Walpola

Sajith

Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to reduce taxes on fuel, just as the Indian government has done.

He said in a post on X that “Modi government has decided to reduce the Special Additional Excise Duty on petrol and completely remove it for diesel in order to cushion the hardship on the Indian consumer. High time for Anura Kumara Dissanayake to keep up to his election promise and follow suit.”

Meanwhile foreign media reported that India has slashed excise duties on petrol and diesel to protect consumers and rein in a potential spike in inflation, while imposing windfall taxes on aviation fuel and diesel exports, amid volatile global oil markets, as a result of the Iran war.

Global oil prices have surged past $100 per barrel after the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which serves as a conduit for 40% of India’s crude oil imports, since the US and Israel first struck Iran on February 28.

In a government order, released late on Thursday, India’s Finance Ministry reduced the special excise duty on petrol to three Indian rupees ($0.0318) per litre from 13 Indian rupees earlier. It also cut the duty on diesel to zero from INR 10 rupees per litre.

The government did not say how much the duty cuts would cost. The move comes ahead of elections next month in four Indian states and one federal territory, with Indian voters known to be extremely sensitive to higher prices.

“Government has taken a huge hit on its taxation revenues to ensure very high losses of oil companies, approximately 24 rupees a litre for petrol and 30 rupees a litre for diesel, at this time of sky high international prices, are reduced,” Indian Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in a post on X.