Attygalle murder

The murder of Francis Dixon Attygalle (known as the Attygalle murder) took place on 5 December 1906, after he was shot in the abdomen and later succumbed to his injuries in hospital. The murder became Ceylon's first sensational trial, which lay blame on Attygalle's brother-in-law John Kotelawala Sr, who committed suicide in jail before the verdict was given.

Background

John Kotelawala Snr.

John Kotelawala Sr, a police inspector married Alice Elizabeth Attygalle, daughter of the wealthy Mudaliyar Don Charles Gemoris Attygalle, after an illicit love affair to which the Attygalle family objected, but later conceded. As dowry, John Kotelawala received 2,058 acres (833 ha) of rubber and coconut estates, as well as one-fourth share of graphite mines owned by the Attygalle family. Soon after the sick Mudaliyar Gemoris Attygalle died in 1901 and Kotelawala resigned from the police force and took over the management of the Attygalle family business, since Mudaliyar's only son Francis Dixon Attygalle was a minor. Later the Mudaliyar's widow accused Kotelawala of misappropriating funds and took legal action to bar him from the family business. She filed several cases in the Kurunegala District Court to eject him from the management and Francis Dixon Attygalle left Wesley College, aged 16 to take over the family business. Petronella Attygalle made representations to the Governor and had letters of venia aetatis conferred, thus freeing Francis Dixon Attygalle from the status as a minor. She also had her second daughter Lena marry T. G. Jayewardene, an engineer in the Public Works Department and a Lieutenant in the Ceylon Light Infantry. The Jayewardenes were a family of lawyers, and Kotelawala insulted them on the day of the wedding. Thereafter, Kotelawala was removed from the management of the Attygalle family business and he ventured into his own business ventures, in transportation using bullock carts. He had confrontations in managing his estate he received as dowry from the Attygalle family which lead to increasing the animosity against the Francis Dixon Attygalle. In 1905, he formed the Ceylon-Japan Trading Company and set out to Japan on business.

Trial

Non-summary proceedings were held by Magistrate Keith Macleod, and these were held within the Welikada Prison as it was deemed safer and crowds that participated in the proceedings limited. After the non-summary proceedings were terminated and the case was committed to the Supreme Court of Ceylon and Kotelawala asked for an English-speaking Jury. The Supreme Court trial on 15 April at Hulftsdorf with Justice Alexander Wood Renton preceding and drew large crowds. The prosecution was led by Crown Counsel C. M. Fernando, assisted by B. W. Bawa, H. J. C. Pereira, R. H. Morgan. The accused were defended by Eardley Norton, a Calcutta Lawyer assisted by T. Thornhill, F. W. Williams, P. G. Cooke, Hayley, Schneider and Donald Obeyasekara.

Piloris alias Pila, was hired by Singhoney Perera and Baron Singho to carry out the murder since he knew how to handle a gun, having fought in the Boer War under Winston Churchill. Singhoney Perera and Baron Singho had also purchased a gun from the Walkers for Rs 25 and kept Pila in a rented room. They had planned to kill him after the murder but failed when Pila took a different escape route. He was arrested by the police and confessed to the murder. He was offered a pardon, in exchange for becoming a crown witness.

The trial found Singhoney Perera guilty and sentenced him to death. Baron Singho was acquitted. On 14 June at 8:00 AM, Perera was executed at Welikade prison.

Long term effects

Alice Elizabeth Kotelawala and her young family faced destitution having spent a large amount of funds on her husband's legal defence. On his deathbed, Francis Dixon Attygalle willed his wealth to his sister Lena Jayewardene and unmarried younger sister Ellen who married F. R. Senanayake. The Senanayakes assisted Alice Kotelawala in her situation by giving her shares of the Kahatagaha Graphite Mine and of the family estates as well as taking care of the education of the Kotelawala children. F. R. Senanayake who was leading the Sri Lankan independence movement, died on a pilgrimage to India in 1924. Senanayake's brother D. S. Senanayake took over leadership of the independence movement and formed the United National Party and was elected as the first Prime Minister of Ceylon in 1947. He was loyally supported by Kotelawala's son Sir John Kotelawala, who went on to become the third Prime Minister of Ceylon in 1953. F. R. Senanayake's son R. G. Senanayake and T. G. Jayewardene's son T. F. Jayewardene had active political careers serving as members of parliament and ministers.