A senior police officer has told the state-run newspaper Dinamina that there is a significant risk of former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon fleeing the country, following a court order for his arrest in connection with the Weligama shooting incident. In response, law enforcement authorities have taken steps to monitor all possible escape routes.
The Matara Magistrate’s Court has issued a travel ban against Tennakoon, and the order has been forwarded to immigration officers at all airports and seaports. Additional measures have been taken to prevent him from leaving the country illegally by boat. Police teams have already searched the two houses in Hokandara and Giriulla where Tennakoon resided, as well as the homes of close friends he frequently visited. Officers in plainclothes have also been stationed around the residences of several politicians to determine whether he is receiving protection from any of them, given his close ties to certain political figures. Authorities believe that under these circumstances, Tennakoon is likely to surrender to the police or appear in court with the assistance of a lawyer.
Special attention has been directed toward hotels and apartment complexes where Tennakoon is suspected of hiding. The investigation stems from an incident on December 31, 2023, when officers from the Colombo Crimes Division arrived in Weligama in a van with fake number plates and opened fire at the W15 Hotel in the middle of the night. The hotel reportedly belonged to the son of former Uva Province Governor A.J.M. Muzammil.
As the shooting unfolded, a team of Weligama police officers arrived at the scene in response to a tip-off. Among the team was a military member who witnessed the unidentified armed men attempting to flee in a van. When the Weligama officers signaled the van to stop, the vehicle instead sped away, ramming the police cab. In an attempt to stop the fleeing van, the military officer opened fire. Despite the gunfire, the van continued at high speed.
Police alerts were quickly sent to surrounding stations, leading to the vehicle being stopped at the expressway entrance by highway security police. The officers in the van claimed to be from the Colombo Crimes Division and stated that they were on a special investigation ordered by senior authorities. However, suspicions arose when bullet holes were found on the van’s rear window, and one of the officers inside was bleeding profusely. The injured officer was immediately taken to Matara Hospital but was pronounced dead due to excessive blood loss.
Further investigation revealed that no shots had been fired from the direction of the hotel, and there was no evidence to support claims that the officers had been attacked. Instead, it was found that the officers from the Colombo Crimes Division had been aiming their weapons at the hotel itself. The division later claimed that a shot had been fired from the hotel, injuring a sergeant, yet they failed to explain why they had fled the scene like a group of criminals when confronted by uniformed Weligama police officers.
The investigation confirmed that the sergeant had actually been shot when the military officer opened fire on the fleeing van. Further controversy arose when higher police authorities attempted to pressure officers in the South into arresting the soldier, claiming the shooting at the van was illegal. When none of the officers complied, senior police officials retaliated by transferring key personnel, including Senior DIG Sajeewa Medawatte, who was serving as the Southern Provincial Police Chief, to the Police Academy.
Police sources revealed that many of the officers involved in the Weligama incident had been linked to previous controversial cases. The deceased sergeant had reportedly threatened to expose illegal activities within the Colombo Crimes Division on multiple occasions while intoxicated. His knowledge of past police misconduct, including extrajudicial killings, staged attacks, and corruption, has fueled speculation that his death was not accidental.
The Matara Magistrate’s Court has ordered the arrest of eight other police officers along with Deshabandu Tennakoon. Authorities believe their interrogations could uncover hidden details about crimes in Colombo, including underworld-linked shootings and politically motivated attacks. Police sources have also revealed that Tennakoon is no longer considered a serving officer and is now officially listed as having left the service.
Despite the court order, police have yet to locate Tennakoon. While multiple teams have been deployed to various locations where he was believed to be hiding, all attempts to apprehend him have so far been unsuccessful. With growing concerns that he may attempt to flee, law enforcement is under mounting pressure to ensure that he is brought to justice before he disappears.
