Escaped convict captured by Police

COLOMBO (News 1^st) - One of the five escapees from the Baddegama Magistrate's Court was arrested today (May 29). Prisons Spokesperson Thushara Upuldeniya said he was arrested following a man-hunt launched in the Baddegama area. 29 inmates were being moved to have their fingerprints registered for cases being taken up at the Baddegama Magistrates Court yesterday (May 28). At that time, six inmates over-powered the prison guards assaulted them and escaped. It is now reported that only five prison officers were present for security when the fingerprints of the 29 inmates were being registered. Our correspondent said, one Prison Officer had accompanied an inmate to the Karapitiya Hospital in Galle, due to an illness. According to the Galle Prison Superintendent, Jagath Weerasinghe around 3.30, a prisoner had complained of a chest pain inside courts and thereafter, the prison officers had called for an ambulance and rushed him to the Karapitiya hospital. He added that at that moment there were 22 inmates in the cell under the custody of three officers and one of the inmates was taken to record his fingerprints to the Court sergeant. When he was being returned to the cell, the inmates had overpowered the officer when he was opening the cell door and assaulted the officers before escaping. The two prison officers who were beaten by the escapees are being treated at the Karapitiya Hospital in Galle. Last evening a manhunt was launched in coordination with the Galle Prison, the Police Special Task Force and the Baddegama Police. One escapee was arrested this afternoon while in hiding inside a house in the Ellakanda area in Baddegama. Prison officials said the escapee is 21-year-old, Waihena Madhu Kokila a resident from Ellakanda. He was remanded for marrying an underage girl. The other escapees were Vikum Milinda from the 17 Acre area in Ampegama, Supun Chanaka from Yahaladuwa, Damith Alahakoon from Galahenkanda, Isuru Sampath from the 20 Acre area and Navodya Hansajith from the Wanduramba area. These individuals are charged with possession of alcohol, narcotics and theft. Investigations are underway to locate them. Superintendent Jagath Weerasinghe stated that the matter was handed over to the Matara Prison Superintendent to conduct an impartial investigation. He added that they cannot allow anyone to flee from the prison regulations and that they need to ascertain if any of the officers were involves in the escape.