The Police Terrorism Investigation Unit has launched a probe into a sensational case involving a gold-plated T-56 assault rifle allegedly linked to former Minister and SLFP General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake. The investigation centers around the discovery of the firearm at the upscale Havelock City residential complex in Colombo, raising serious national security concerns and political intrigue.
According to senior police officials, the T-56 was hidden in a residence within the super-luxury apartment complex by a personal chef employed by Dissanayake, who has now been arrested and is cooperating with authorities. The chef was taken into custody late on May 23 and has since implicated the former minister in supplying the weapon and ordering its delivery to a trusted family acquaintance.
During interrogation, the suspect confessed that Duminda Dissanayake had instructed him to deliver the weapon to a 68-year-old woman residing on the 19th floor of Havelock City. The woman, believed to be a close associate of the Dissanayake family, allegedly received the bag containing the weapon without knowledge of its contents. She reportedly assumed it was a toy gun and stored it inside her apartment.
The truth unraveled only when the woman’s niece discovered the weapon near the building’s elevator and raised suspicions. A security officer, upon closer inspection, recognized the item as a genuine and high-grade T-56 firearm and immediately alerted authorities. Police arrived on the scene and confirmed the weapon’s authenticity, seizing it and launching a full-scale investigation.
According to police reports, the weapon was a custom-assembled T-56, manufactured using four separate components. These have since been handed over to the Government Analyst’s Department, which will prepare an official report on the weapon’s specifications, origin, and functionality.
The Acting Inspector General of Police, Priyantha Weerasuriya, confirmed that the Terrorism Investigation Unit has taken charge of the case due to the seriousness of the matter, particularly in the context of heightened national security and firearm amnesties issued by the current government.
Investigators have also revealed that the weapon was brought into the Havelock City apartment complex around six months ago, shortly after the government initiated a crackdown on unlicensed firearms. Authorities have so far found no valid license or documentation for the weapon, nor any indication of its legal origin.
The 68-year-old woman involved in the case is not being treated as a suspect at this stage. She has reportedly told investigators that she accepted the bag as a favor to the Dissanayake family, believing it to contain harmless items. Her claim is being cross-verified with other statements and forensic evidence.
Law enforcement sources said that following the cook’s full cooperation and willingness to testify, he may be treated as a state witness under the law. He remains in custody for further questioning, with police expected to extract more details about the weapon’s procurement, transportation, and intended use.
As of now, police are preparing to arrest Duminda Dissanayake based on the statements and emerging evidence. The former minister’s political status and recent role as General Secretary of the SLFP have added a highly sensitive dimension to the case, which is already drawing intense media and public scrutiny.
This incident, coming amid a broader campaign to recover illegal firearms, underscores the dangers of political protectionism and shadow networks of influence within Sri Lanka’s elite circles. Investigators say the probe is ongoing, and additional arrests or charges may follow depending on forensic findings and testimony.
With the former minister now squarely in the crosshairs of the law and his household staff cooperating with the state, this case could become one of the most high-profile firearm-related investigations in Sri Lankan political history. The October court schedule may see the case reach a turning point if charges are formally filed against Dissanayake.
