Man arrested over forged passport linked to Akuregoda lawyer and wife murder
Scene of the shooting at a supermarket car park in Akuregoda, within the Thalangama Police Division, on February 13, 2026.
A 45-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly providing his fingerprints to prepare a forged passport for the main suspect in the murder of a lawyer and his wife in Akuregoda.
Officers of the Western Province (South) Crime Division of Sri Lanka Police arrested the suspect, a resident of Minuwangoda, on October 7, 2026, following information uncovered during their investigation.
According to police, the forged passport was intended to enable the main suspect in the double murder to travel abroad.
The man was arrested on allegations of assisting in the preparation of forged documents.
Attorney-at-Law Buddika Mallawa Arachchi and his wife, W. A. Nisansala, were shot dead inside their vehicle at around 4:50 PM on February 13, 2026, in the car park of a supermarket in Akuregoda, within the Thalangama Police Division.
The shooting took place approximately 700 metres from the Defence Headquarters Complex.
Several suspects, including the two suspected gunmen, were arrested in the days following the shooting.
The Western Province (South) Crime Division launched an investigation into the killings and is conducting further investigations.