The recent shooting and assault on the vehicle of former National Lotteries Board (NLB) Director Thusitha Halloluwa had in fact been orchestrated by Halloluwa himself in collaboration with several organised criminals, the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) informed Colombo Additional Magistrate Pasan Amarasena yesterday (19).

Thusitha Halloluwa, who had been out on a warrant, was arrested by the CCD at around 2 a.m. yesterday. He was produced before court at about 3.30 p.m., where the CCD made submissions regarding the investigation. The Magistrate ordered that Halloluwa be remanded until 26 August.

Investigators said that Thusitha Halloluwa had previously claimed his vehicle was shot at in Narahenpita several months ago, and that important documents in his possession were stolen during the incident. He also alleged that these documents contained information about financial dealings linked to the current President and a Greek shipping company.

However, police told court that their investigations had found no evidence of such documents or theft. CCTV footage had also shown Halloluwa calmly driving his vehicle in the same direction as the alleged gunmen immediately after the shooting, raising strong suspicion of a staged crime.

The CCD further submitted that Halloluwa’s statements to police and the CID regarding the incident were contradictory, and that he had deliberately attempted to mislead the investigation, even providing investigators with a mobile phone different from the one he used on the day of the shooting. Technical analysis later revealed he had continued using his original phone after the alleged incident, despite claiming it had been destroyed.

Halloluwa’s lawyers, Ajith Pathirana and Athula S. Ranagala, sought bail, arguing that their client had cooperated with police on multiple occasions and had been unable to appear recently due to a relative’s death. The Magistrate, however, rejected the bail application, noting that Thusitha Halloluwa had failed to support the investigation and that charges under the Penal Code, Firearms Ordinance, and Explosives Ordinance could apply.

Meanwhile, in a separate matter, the Magistrate also granted Halloluwa bail in the sum of Rs 100,000 in connection with a previous charge of ignoring a lawful directive by a state official.