The Chinese national abducted from Colombo Port City and later found murdered entered Sri Lanka using a passport issued by the Republic of Suriname, investigators have revealed, as the case widens into an inquiry involving large unexplained sums of money and suspected international criminal links.
The Colombo Crimes Division has established that the victim, identified as Hao Song, arrived in Sri Lanka from Cambodia on April 7 along with a group of individuals. Police say information gathered so far indicates he was a key member of an organised cybercrime operation.
Investigators have also uncovered what they described as unusually large sums of money in accounts linked to the deceased, and believe the killing was connected to a dispute over those funds.
The victim’s driver, chef and girlfriend have been taken into custody by the Colombo Crimes Division and are being questioned. Police said five separate investigative teams have been deployed to probe different aspects of the case.
According to investigators, the confrontation between two groups of Chinese nationals unfolded in the early hours of Thursday, July 23, inside Colombo Port City. Three Chinese nationals had gone onto the suspension bridge inside Port City at around 11.00 p.m. the previous night to fish when, at about 2.00 a.m., a second group of roughly 20 Chinese nationals arrived at the location.
The group allegedly threatened the three men with firearms, assaulted them and abducted them. Two of the victims were later found abandoned inside a van within Port City with their hands and legs bound. The third was taken to an unknown location.
Hours later, his body was discovered in the Eheliyagoda area. Investigators said the victim had sustained severe injuries and was found with his hands, legs and eyes bound, with stones placed over the body in an apparent attempt to conceal it.
The investigation continues.
