A 71-year-old unmarried woman has been murdered at her residence situated on Rajagiriya Road in Welikada on Saturday morning (25).
Investigations conducted by the Welikada Police had revealed that the deceased’s sister had handed over Rs 25,000 to the woman on the previous day.
Inspection of the house had uncovered that the money was missing following the murder, leading to speculation that the woman may have been murdered in order to steal the money.
Further investigations had led the Police to identify the suspect by monitoring CCTV footage in and around the deceased’s residence. The man was identified as Vijitha Kumara alias ‘Jinti Ranji’.
The Police yesterday conducted a special operation and arrested the 53-year-old suspect, while he was hiding at a house in the Rajagiriya area.
Interrogations had revealed that the man had broken into the house through the roof and had stolen the money after murdering the woman. It was also found that he was addicted to drugs.
Further investigations had also revealed that a case was ongoing at the Homagama Magistrate’s Court against him over the murder of a 51-year-old woman in Athurugirya to steal her jewelry.
The suspect will be produced before the Hiftsdorp Magistrate’s Court today over the murder in Welikada. (NewsWire)