SMS sent to Brian Thomas by Schaffter’s killer

An SMS is believed to have been sent to the mobile phone of Brian Thomas by Dinesh Schaffter?s killer after the businessman became a victim last Thursday, State media quoted investigators as saying.??

According to the Daily News the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had found that the text message sent from Dinesh Schaffter?s mobile phone to Brian Thomas?s phone was sent from the Borella cemetery premises, after Schaffter became a victim of the killer.

It is believed that Schaffter?s killer had sent the message from Schaffter?s phone to Brian Thomas?s phone. Investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department have revealed that the car in which Dinesh Schaffter travelled came directly to the Borella Public Cemetery from his home in Flower Road on the day he was murdered, last Thursday (15th).

According to the Daily News, a number of details have emerged over the murder of Janashakthi Director Dinesh Schaffter. A CID official said that the information is currently being verified.

Investigations conducted by the CID have revealed that the car in which Dinesh Schaffter travelled had directly entered the Borella Public Cemetery from his home down Flower Road on the day (15) he was murdered.

The CID investigators believe that Schaffter left home at around 2.06 pm and that the crime had taken place within half an hour of his departure.

From the time Dinesh Schaffter left his home, it has been found that his car had come directly to the Borella Public Cemetery. This is after perusing CCTV recordings along the route.

A senior CID official said that further investigations are being conducted on whether a person got into the car on the way or whether he went to the cemetery with the expectation of meeting someone.

When observing the location of the car entering the cemetery and stopping, it appears that someone who has a good understanding of the Borella Public Cemetery is involved in this crime, CID sources said.

Suspicions have arisen whether there was also an attempt to frame Brian Thomas for the murder.

Thomas had replied to the text message noting that he had no intention of meeting Schaffter. Police sources revealed that the two phones have been taken into custody by the Criminal Investigation Department and forwarded to the Computer Forensic Laboratory.

Police Media Spokesperson, Senior Superintendent of Police Nihal Talduwa said that even the security camera system in Brian Thomas? house has been investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department.

He said that so far there is no information to confirm if Thomas left the house during the time of the murder or if he was involved in the crime.

Nihal Thalduwa said that statements have been obtained from 23 persons by the officers of the Organized Crime and Homicide Investigation Division of the Criminal Investigation Department.

Thalduwa said that among them are several members of Dinesh Schaffter?s family as well as several employees of the Borella Cemetery. Talduwa also said that investigations are being carried out based on security cameras and phone analysis as well as eyewitness evidence.

Thalduwa said that as Dinesh Schaffter was a businessman as well as someone who had contacts with various fields, the investigations will cover all these aspects.

In the investigations, special attention has been paid to the fact that Dinesh Schaffter had given the facility of sharing his location through the phone to his business partner in addition to his wife.

Schaffter?s business associate, a company director, told the police that Dinesh Schaffter told him he was going to meet Brian Thomas. He is also the first to find Dinesh Schaffter. (Daily News / Colombo Gazette)