by Namini Wijedasa
The family of Agrisquad owner Lal Bogoda — who committed suicide after killing his wife — will try to revive his bankrupt company, a relative said last week.

"There will be a shareholders meeting after Lal’s brother returns to the country," he observed, adding that the event may take place in a few days. "We don’t hope to abandon the enterprise, we wish to carry on. It all depends on what transpires at the meeting."

The funerals of 41-year-old Bogoda and his 39-year-old wife, Marie Sandaya Piyumali, were held on Wednesday, two days after they were found dead in the bedroom of their Kohuwala residence. Police later found a suicide note signed by Bogoda. It was not addressed to any particular person, but said nobody else was accountable for the two deaths.

Bogoda wrote in his final letter that he alone was responsible for the huge debts incurred by the popular chain of vegetable shops. He said that uncontrolled expenditure had caused arrears amounting to millions of rupees and that it now threatened the livelihoods of all Agrisquad employees. He observed that he had no option but to commit suicide and that he would also kill his wife because she had no life without him.

In a touching declaration, Bogoda declared that he and his wife would pay with their lives for the ruination of the company. He urged two of his directors to declare the company bankrupt and, thus, rid themselves of the heavy burden he was leaving.

The couple, who had been married for over ten years, had no children. They lived in a three-storeyed house in Kohuwala, but had run into financial problems during the past few years. Recently, even their Prado jeep was stolen.

Agrisquad is a seven-year-old concern which owns eight farms and operates 18 sales outlets. It employs around 400 people and is popular for selling fresh vegetables at reasonable prices.

Bogoda and his wife were discovered by their housekeeper on the morning of February 9, said Inspector B. S. Tissera, Kohuwela OIC. The previous night, Mrs. Bogoda had asked the housekeeper to cook chick peas (kadala) for breakfast. On Sunday morning, she had carried the breakfast tray to their bedroom. When persistent knocking produced no reply, the housekeeper had pushed open the unlocked door and observed Mrs. Bogoda on the bed.

"She initially thought nona was asleep," Tissera said. "Then, she saw mahattaya lying on the ground in a pool of blood."

The housekeeper immediately telephoned the driver who also hastened to the bedroom, followed by Piyumali’s aged mother. When the latter tried to wake up her daughter, she discovered that she, too, was dead.

Tissera said he had met Bogoda twice and thought him a pleasant man. Once, he had visited the police station to report the theft of his Prado. The previous time, he had come to renew his revolver licence.