(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – The five-member forensic medical committee appointed by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court to determine the cause of death of the director of Janashakthi Group, Mr. Dinesh Schaffter, has started a two-day discussion at the Faculty of Medicine of Peradeniya University with the aim of analyzing the facts found so far.
The five-member expert panel investigating whether the death of Mr. Schaffter was a suicide or a homicide commenced the discussion yesterday (23), and will continue today (24) as well.
Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya on February 27, 2023 ordered the appointment of an investigation panel comprising five judicial and forensic medicine experts to determine the cause of death of businessman Dinesh Schaffter.
Accordingly, Prof. Asela Mendis, forensic specialist of Colombo University as the Chairman and Prof. DCR Perera of Ruhuna University, Forensic specialist Prof. DNP Fernando of University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya Hospital Judicial Medical Officer Dr. Siva Subramaniam and Galle Karapitiya Hospital Senior Judicial Medical Officer Dr. Rohan Ruwanpura as the members were appointed for the investigation panel.
The Magistrate appointed this five-member committee to determine the cause of Mr. Schaffter’s death, as there were contradictions between the original version of the post-mortem report and the final detailed report related to the businessman’s death.
On the Committee’s instructions the body of Mr. Schaffter was exhumed on 25 May and a second post-mortem examination was conducted at the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital.
According to the five-member expert committee, the purpose of the two-day discussion is to review the scientific data and research reports received so far in connection with Mr. Schaffter’s death.
The Committee is expected to hold several rounds of discussions before announcing its final decision to the court whether the cause of Dinesh Schaffter’s death was a suicide or murder.
