COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan ruling party politician and three accomplices were yesterday sentenced to 20 years in jail for murdering a British holidaymaker on Christmas Eve and raping his Russian partner.
The Colombo High Court said town council chief Sampath Vidanapathirana was guilty of killing 32-year-old Khuram Shaikh, an International Red Cross aid worker, who had tried to stop a brawl at a southern beach resort on December 24, 2011.
After 33 days of hearing evidence, judge Rohini Walgama found Vidanapathirana, a member of President Mahinda Rajapakse’s Freedom Alliance, and three others guilty on all 16 counts that included culpable homicide, attempted murder and rape.
The four men were ordered to pay a total of 800,000 rupees as compensation to the Russian woman, who cannot be named, as well as fines of 20,000 rupees each.
All six of them were indicted in December after repeated allegations that there was an unnecessary delay in bringing the case to court, leading to suspicions they were being shielded by their political connections.
tShaikh’s brother Nasser applauded the “bravery and defiance” of Sri Lankan witnesses who gave evidence despite threats and intimidation.
“Whilst our family and friends find it difficult to come to terms with the tragic loss, I hope today can bring some comfort to everyone involved that we achieved the justice we set out for,” an emotional Nasser said, reading from a prepared statement.
He fought back tears inside the courtroom and outside as he spoke to reporters while the accused appeared smiling and chatting with police jail guards.
The Briton was holidaying in Sri Lanka during a break from his job in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, where he was fitting prosthetic limbs.
Hotel manager Tharanga Peiris told the court earlier this year that she tried to stop him going to the aid of another hotel guest who was being beaten by the politician and his gang.
Another hotel guest said that the attackers had “behaved like animals” and went on a rampage, smashing plates, glasses, car windows and toppling a three-wheeled taxi parked outside.
Shaikh’s girlfriend, who was knocked unconscious after a brutal assault, returned to Sri Lanka this year to give evidence and identified one of her attackers in court. AFP
