Namal denies his family was involved in Thajudeen’s murder

Former UPFA Hambantota District MP Namal Rajapaksa has denied allegations that his family was involved in the murder of former Sri Lankan Rugby player, Wasim Thajudeen.

“Wasim was a family friend. We have stayed over and eaten at his home, with his family. We have been together for 5-6 years since schooling days,” he told BBC Sinhala.

Namal, who is the son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said that politicizing Thajudeen death is an injustice to his family. 

He stated that pointing the finger at the Rajapaksa family even before the investigation has been completed does not do justice to the rugby player’s family.    

The Colombo Additional Magistrate on Thursday ordered the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) of Colombo to exhume the remains of Thajudeen, who had died under suspicious circumstances. The body will be exhumed on August 10.

Thajudeen was found dead on May 17, 2012 inside his car which had apparently crashed into a wall in Kirulapone.

An inquest into the death was launched following the recent emergence of new information in connection with the case.

The CID had recently declared that the mysterious death of Thajudeen was not an accidental one.