Underworld figure Mohamed Niyas Naufer alias ‘Potta Naufer’ has passed away while receiving treatment at the Welikada prison hospital after contracting COVID-19.
The Department of Prisons said he was pronounced dead at 7.30pm yesterday.
‘Potta Naufer’ was sentenced to death for assassinating Colombo High Court Judge Sarath Ambepitiya in 2004.
The Department said through a rapid antigen test conducted on ‘Potta Naufer’ after he was directed to the Karapitiya Teaching hospital for treatment for a kidney related illness, it was confirmed that he had contracted COVID-19.
The Department said subsequently he received treatment at the Homagama hospital before being transferred to the Welikada Prison hospital where he was pronounced dead yesterday.
