The Western Province (WP) Crime Division yesterday launched a special investigation on the places where Ravindu Warna Ranga alias Buru Moona, who is involved in a number of murders, was given sanctuary and the people who sheltered him.
After escaping from the custody of Katunayake Airport Police on February 24 and spending two days in a hotel in Negombo Buru Moona is alleged to have taken refuge in the Kurunegala Koskele where he was given assistance by a lawyer.He then
took refuge in a house in Tirappane. The house belongs to a retired Army officer residing in Homagama.
Further investigations have revealed that a lawyer was promised Rs. 1 million for handing over the suspect to the Court and providing him with transportation and protection. Buru Moona had been provided accommodation in the house at Tirappane, at the request of Rathgama Vidura, an organised criminal who is hiding in Italy, with the help of Gagana, another organised criminal who is in hiding in Dubai, the police said.
“On the fifteenth, a group of four people had gone to the house in Thirappane in a van and picked up Buru Moona from there and dropped him off at a hotel in Karawanella,” Police investigations had discovered.
A senior Police officer said that these facts were revealed when the suspect, Buru Moona was taken to investigate the places where he had stayed. Police also said that Buru Moona had been used by organised criminals and drug dealers named Lalith Kannangara, Rathgama Vidura, Gagana and Dilan for various crimes.
A 90-day detention order has been obtained against the suspect, under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and an investigation is being conducted to find out about persons who provided Buru Moona with protection in connection with crimes committed by him so far, and to discover whether the automatic firearms used for the murders by him had been provided by a terrorist organization. The senior Police officer further said that a lengthy investigation will be conducted regarding the manner in which money had been received and several other matters.
A team of Police officers including Officer-In-Charge Inspector Sumith Jayasinghe, Inspector Hemantha Kumara, Sergeant Prasanna are conducting investigations, based on instructions of Senior Superintendent of Police Lalith Abeysekera, Director of Western Province Southern District Crime Division and Superintendent of Police Chandana Gamage.