Sri Lankan politician jailed for murdering Briton and raping partner
Friday, 18 July 2014
A Sri Lankan ruling party politician and three accomplices have been sentenced to 20 years in jail for murdering a British holidaymaker on Christmas Eve and raping his Russian partner in the southern resort of Tangalle in 2011. 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 the beach resort. After 33 days of hearing evidence, judge Rohini Walgama told a packed courthouse that Vidanapathirana, a member of President Mahinda Rajapakse's Freedom Alliance, and three others were guilty of all the charges. Two others were discharged, according to Guardian.