11-9-2023 (SIGNAPORE) A man, identified as Eshan Tharaka Koottage, aged 30, has been accused of murdering his wife, Diyawinnage Sewwandi Maduka Kumari, whose lifeless body was discovered at a hotel in Katong. The alleged crime took place between 10:45 a.m. and 4:42 p.m. on September 9 at the Holiday Inn Express Katong Square, situated at 88 East Coast Road. While the charge sheet did not provide details on the specific manner in which the crime was committed, Eshan Tharaka Koottage, wearing a white long-sleeved shirt, appeared via videolink in the State Courts to receive the charge.
During the proceedings, the prosecution applied for the accused to be remanded for one week, granting permission to conduct investigations, revisit the crime scene, and recover potential evidence. Eshan Tharaka Koottage, seeking assistance from the Sri Lankan High Commission to engage a lawyer, also requested legal representation from the state. However, he was informed that he could not communicate with anyone at the present moment. The accused is scheduled to appear in court again on September 18.
According to the police, the accused visited the Marine Parade Neighbourhood Police Centre on Saturday around 5:05 p.m. to inform the officers that he had killed his wife at the hotel, located adjacent to the i12 Katong shopping mall. Subsequently, he was promptly apprehended by the authorities.
Upon police arrival at the hotel room, they discovered the lifeless body of a 32-year-old woman with a slash wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene. A knife, believed to have been used in the incident, was also recovered from the hotel room.
If convicted, Eshan Tharaka Koottage could potentially face the death penalty for the charges brought against him.
