Break-in at journalist’s house:  Suspect reveals mastermind’s identity

Victims confirm jewellery belongs to them

August 29, 2013, 12:00 pm 

The identity of the mastermind of Saturday’s break-in, at The Sunday Leader Associate Editor, Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema’s residence in Bambalapitiya, had been revealed by one of the suspects in custody and action had been taken to track him down, Western Province Senior DIG Anura Senanayake told The Island yesterday.

There was absolutely no doubt that the intruders had broken into her house to rob valuables, Snr. DIG Senanayake said

Meanwhile, Abeywickrema and her mother met Senanayake at his office yesterday morning and told him that the gold jewellery recovered following the abortive robbery belonged to them.

The journalist and her mother, contacted for comment, confirmed that all the jewellery recovered by the police, soon after the killing of one intruder and the arrest of four others, were theirs.

However, Abeywickrema told this newspaper on Wednesday that the valuables did not belong to her.

Journalists’ associations and civil right groups have called for a high level probe into the incident.

The police said investigations were continuing and the suspects were being interrogated.