Schaffter family informs Court of contradictions in JMO analysis

Friday, 10 February 2023 00:22 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Dinesh Schaffter

The family of Dinesh Schaffter yesterday notified the Court that they had found various anomalies and contradictions in the post-mortem report created by the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer.

President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne appearing for the aggrieved party told the Court the initial post-mortem report had suggested that death was due to strangulation but the final post-mortem report submitted to the court has concluded that Schaffter’s death was due to cyanide poisoning, contradictory to the initial report.

Considering the facts presented, Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya announced that the verdict of the inquest into the death of businessman Dinesh Schaffter would be delivered on 8 March.

On 16 December, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) took over the investigations into the shocking death of Schaffter on 15 December, following what is alleged as a brutal and mysterious murder.

The 51-year-old was found unconscious and tied inside his vehicle at the General Cemetery in Borella on 15 December evening and was rushed to the ICU of the National Hospital in Colombo. He was pronounced dead while undergoing treatment.