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An organized crime gang leader Ganemulla Sanjeeva was killed on 19th February in a shooting inside the court complex in Hulftsdorp. A CCTV photo of the person suspected of having committed the murder was circulated on social media and with that many social media posts were created speculating various people with similar appearance to the suspect as the criminal. Also, various posts have been created using the photographs taken after the arrest of the person in question yesterday evening. Here is an explanation regarding that.
Social media posts
A video was shared on social media when the suspect who killed Sanjeeva Kumara Samararathne, who was murdered in the magistrate’s court room No. 5, Hulftsdorp, Colombo was arrested, indicating that a friendly discussion was taking place with the police and STF officials with the caption “That moment when he was arrested with care” (“ආදරෙන් අත්අඩංගුවට ගත් ඒ මොහොත..”)
It was shared through Tik Tok social media as well.
Although some people have recognized this video as fake, some people have speculated it as the real incident as the video contained photos that were released to the media in this regard.
Also, some other social media posts were circulated in a sarcastic way indicating that the person who killed Ganemulla Sanjeeva was the parliament member Archuna Ramanathan.
Here is how many other posts were shared on social media.
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Fb | Fb | Fb | Fb | Fb | Fb | Fb | Fb | Fb | Fb | Fb | Fb | Fb
Also, it is clear from the comments made in the social media posts that there are people who assumed that the suspect is the parliamentarian.
So, we decided to do a proper fact check regarding this incident.
Fact Check
The video circulated in social media is an AI video?
After the Ganemulla Sanjeeva murder incident, a photo of the suspect being arrested on 19th during the search operation went viral on social media.
Many media reports were published regarding that and many social media posts were circulated as well.
Many people noticed that the suspect is smiling in these photos shared in the posts, and many people expressed their various opinions regarding that. On 19th a viral video was circulated showing that suspect talking to the officers who arrested him.
Thus, anyone who has a knowledge about the AI technology can identify this video as fake as it was also not shared by any of the mainstream media.
The features that we can identify this as an AI video are, unusual hand positions of the officers, the sleeve of the shirt that the suspect is wearing is short in the beginning of the video, whereas it is long in the latter part, the vehicle with the suspect can be seen in the background of the frame, and the STF officers are seated on the ground of the vehicle, and the door is open while it is still driven.
Also, to check this further, we uploaded the video to an AI detection tool, and there it was confirmed that the video is an AI generated video.
We also made an inquiry to the Police Media Division and they also confirmed that the video is fake.
Social media posts shared about MP Archuna
Though many people sarcastically claimed in social media that the suspect is MP Archuna Ramanathan, it can be viewed as an insult done for a person’s character, by framing him as the murderer.
However, the MP has come to the parliament on the 19th and he also have shared a sarcastic post through his Facebook page, regarding the posts claiming him as the suspect.
Here and here are some other similar posts.
Also, on the 19th after the murder, MP Archuna requested police protection for him at least during public engagements.
On several previous occasions also, he had made demands in the Parliament to provide him security.
However, the concerned suspect has been arrested now and it is confirmed that the suspect is not the Member of Parliament Archuna Ramanathan.
Meanwhile, another post was published with a photo of the opposition leader Mr. Sajith Premadasa, and a photo of the suspect in the incident.
The murder of Ganemulla Sanjeeva
Ganemulla Sanjeeva, a leader of an organized crime gang, was brought to the Hulftsdorp magistrate court from the Boossa prison on the morning of 19th for a court case. He was shot to death inside the court by a man disguised as a lawyer, while also creating a new social discourse regarding the security of the country.
There is a major talk regarding this as there is a high security in Colombo, especially when many police officers are deployed in the Magistrate court complex.
The shooting has taken place when the case was called to extend the remand at the Hulftsdorp magistrate court No.05. The shooter, who was disguised as a lawyer, has shot Ganemulla Sanjeeva when he has stood at the dock.
Ganemulla Sanjeeva alias Sanjeeva Kumara Samararathne, was arrested by the Immigration Department, when he arrived at the Katunayake International Airport on 13th of September 2023, using a fake passport from Kathmandu, Nepal.
Here, here and here are how the mainstream media reported regarding that.
Who killed Ganemulla Sanjeeva?
After the murder of Ganemulla Sanjeeva on 19th, a footage of the person who committed the murder was released to the media. There it can be seen that the person is entering the magistrate court, disguised as a lawyer.
Later on, the 19th afternoon, Police Media Spokesperson Buddhika Manatunga announced that the main suspect in this murder, i.e., the shooter who committed the murder, was arrested by the police.
Commenting further on this, he said that this person was arrested by the Police Special Task Force in Palawiya area of Puttalam and he is a 34-year-old man named Mohammad Azman Sherifdeen.
Disclosing more information about the arrested suspect, Police Media Spokesman Buddhika Manatunga mentioned that when the suspect was arrested, several identity cards and a fake lawyer’s identity card were found in his possession.
The media spokesman mentioned that the suspect has used the name of Mohammad Aslan Sherifdeen, Samindu Dilshan Piumanga Kandanarachchi and the name of Kodikarage Kasun Prabhatha Nishanka in the lawyer’s ID that he had prepared.
Furthermore, he mentioned that many facts have been discovered regarding the women who also falsely posed as a lawyer, who is currently under suspicion of assisting the murder, and investigations are underway to arrest her as soon as possible.
The Police Media Spokesperson further stated that the arrested suspect will be brought to Colombo Crime Division for further investigation.
How Ganemulla Sanjeeva was killed
Police Media Spokesman, Senior Superintendent of Polce, Buddhika Manatunga stated in a press conference held on 19th, how the suspects have carried out the murder. He mentioned that the person who carried out the shooting disguised himself as a lawyer and entered into the court empty handed and also without going through the checking process.
After that, he has taken the firearm from a woman who was also disguised as a lawyer.
He said that the information has been revealed that this firearm was detained in a meticulous way inside the book of ‘Code of Criminal Procedure’.
The suspect has shot Ganemulla Sanjeeva when he was about to come down from the dock.
The Police Media Spokesman also said that 5 special teams including the Colombo Crime Division and the Criminal Investigation Department are investigating the matter.
The attention of Parliament regarding the murder of Ganemulla Sanjeeva
Samagi Jana Balawegaya Member of Parliament Dayasiri Jayasekara commented regarding this in the parliament saying that there is a big problem regarding the security of the country.
Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa also emphasized that murders are taking place every day and this is a very serious situation.
Explaining the position of the government in this regard, the organizer of the ruling party, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa stated that many measures have been taken to suppress the underworld and it is not possible to reveal all of them at the parliament. He further mentioned that,
“The government is responsible for the underworld affairs. Therefore, there are many measures being taken. It is possible that the underworld, black money and drug trafficking are related to this. Some people involved in this are not even in Sri Lanka.”
“I would like to say that we are taking this very seriously.”
“A number of steps have been taken. Not all measures can be disclosed to Parliament. But the government intervenes strongly in this regard. We will not spare the underworld.”
Who is Ganemulla Sanjeeva? What are the charges against him?
He is known for 16 murders, many armed robberies (including a bank robbery of 7 crores) and extortion as well as being a major drug trafficker.
Retired Deputy Inspector General of Police Mr. Priyantha Jayakody has made a special post on his Facebook account about the history of organized crime gang member Ganemulla Sanjeeva, who lost his life in the shooting in the Hulftsdorp court complex, and the post can be read here. Archived Link.
As reported in a BBC Sinhala article, the charges against Ganemulla Sanjeeva are as follows.
- 2009.02.16 – Allegations related to robbery of 75,000 rupees.
- In March 2016, an attempt was made to kill prison officers by firing a T56 firearm at a bus transporting prison inmates and shooting and injuring a suspect named Dematagoda Chaminda who was traveling in it.
- 2017.04.08 – Attempted murder using an automatic firearm, in the Gampaha police domain.
- In September 2010, aiding and abetting the robbery of six crore thirty-two lakh eighty-four thousand five hundred rupees.
- In 2013 – arrested with 50mg of heroin
- 2016.12.24 – aiding and abetting the shooting and the murder of a person near Weyangoda railway crossing.
- In October 2017 – accused of possessing three T56 firearms and seven magazines of ammunition as well as 168 rounds of ammunition.
- In 2018 – Aiding and abetting the killing of a person in Ampegama area in 2018.
- In September 2018 – Killing a woman and seriously injuring her 13-year-old daughter in with a T56 firearm.
- In June 2019 – Accused of shooting and murdering a resident of Minuwangoda area.
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Title:The true story of the viral posts regarding the suspect of Ganemulla Sanjeeva murder!
Fact Check By: Fact Crescendo TeamResult: Misleading
