Police broaden probe into Schaffter’s murder
COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s police deployed several teams to broaden the investigation into the strangling of business executive Dinesh Schaffter after questioning former cricket commentator and media personality Brian Thomas, a senior officer said Saturday (17).
Police are yet to establish a clear motive for Thursday’s (15) killing at the car park of the General Cemetery Kanatte, but CCTV footage from the area as well as records of all mobile phones that operated in the area were being analyzed, the officer said.
Schaffter, 51, was found strangled in the driving seat of his Toyota. The car is also being subjected to forensic tests to extract any evidence of the attacker or attackers involved in the killing.
“There are several lines of investigation. We are trying to establish a credible motive. Both his business and social contacts are being looked into. Investigators are keeping an open mind,” the officer said.
There were no arrests made, but after recording a statement from Thomas, he was barred from travelling abroad as detectives may need to interview him again, the officer said.
Schaffter had driven to a yet unknown location where he may have been met by one or many individuals before ending up at the car park of the cemetery.
Evidence from Thomas suggests that Schaffter requested a meeting, but he declined. Thomas had surrendered his mobile devices to the CID.
In 2019, Schaffter had complained that the former cricket commentator had defrauded him of over 140 million rupees and a case is pending.
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