Another weapons cache discovered from Homagama

by Zulfick Farzan 01-07-2020 | 6:46 PM

Colombo (News 1st); Another weapons cache was discovered from inside a house located in Pitipana, Homagama on Wednesday (01).

Sri Lanka Police arrested a woman who was at the house and discovered 07 Hand Grenades, 01 Repeating Shotgun, 04 unidentified bullets, 04 live rounds of ammunition, and 02 suits of body armor.

Investigations revealed the woman had maintained close contact with the owner of a building in Pitipana, Homagama where recently 12 Automatic Rifles were discovered.

On the 29th of June, the Police Special Task Force discovered 11 T-56 Assualt Rifles and 01 T-81 Assualt Rifle from an electrical equipment distribution centre in Pitipana, Homagama.

Sri Lanka Police handed over the weapons to the Criminal Investigations Department for further investigations and suspect the weapons may have been placed there to be used to launch an attack on a prison transport bus.

According to investigations, these weapons belong to a person who goes by the name of “Gagana”, a close associate of notorious underworld leader “Kosgoda Tharaka” – both men are currently serving time in prison.

One person was arrested along with the weapons, and Sri Lanka Police said he is a member of an organized criminal gang and goes by the name “Potta Kapila” – a resident from the same area.

Investigations revealed the suspect “Potta Kapila” and incarcerated criminal “Gagana” maintained close contact.

Detectives added, “Potta Kapila” is also the person who provided a get-away car to the criminals responsible for robbing a jewellery store in Matara in 2018.

The get-away car was discovered several months ago from a house located not far from the building in which the weapons were discovered.

As the registered owner of the car was pregnant at the time, her husband Madapathage Kapila Kumara was arrested and released.

Police said, “Potta Kapila” who was arrested, is, in fact, Madapathage Kapila Kumara.

“Kosgoda Tharaka” is the main suspect in the Matara jewellery store heist, which resulted in the death of a police officer following a shoot-out between criminals and thieves.

The suspects connected to the failed heist were arrested 04 months ago while in hiding at a house owned by “Potta Kapila”.