‘Matara Malli’ arrested over gems, diamonds robbery

The gang had also handcuffed an Austrian national who was in the house to purchase gems and diamonds at the time of the incident

A 38-year-old suspect Thisitha Maduranga alias ‘ Matara Malli’ has been arrested on Saturday in connection with a robbery of gems and diamonds in Pannipitiya last month.

Police said a gang of robbers disguising themselves as policemen had entered a house of a licensed gem merchant at Araliyapura, Arawwala in Pannipitiya on November 5 and had assaulted the owner of the house to carry out the robbery of gems and diamonds.

The gang had also handcuffed an Austrian national who was in the house to purchase gems and diamonds at the time of the incident.

The gang had then taken away the diamonds and the other gemstones after locking those present including the owner in a room of the house. They then took away the foreigner with them and released him once they reached the Maharagama Town.

It was reported that the robbers had stolen a 750-carat diamond brought down from South Africa valued at more than seven billion rupees along with several other gems.

‘Matara Malli’, a resident of Rotumba, Matara was arrested by the officials of the Mirihana Special Crimes Investigation Unit near a fuel station at the Maliban Junction in Ratmalana on Saturday evening.

He was to be produced in the Nugegoda Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Earlier, the police also arrested one of the thieves in Watareka. It was reported that the robbery had been plotted by Makandure Madush who is in hiding in Dubai.