Two Lankan men have been charged with the murder of another Sri Lankan Sameera Chandrasena whose body was found in his burnt house in Oxford, New Zealand. The two men, aged 23 and 33, are both Sri Lankan and have been in custody since Saturday on unrelated matters were charged with murder today, Detective Inspector Virginia Le Bas said.
The pair have also been charged with the arson of Mr Chandrasena’s home at Domain Road in Oxford.
Mr Chandrasena, 28, a Sri Lankan national, was found dead in the burnt-out shell of his home in Oxford last Thursday. Police said he had been beaten to death before his house was set on fire.
Mr Chandrasena, known as Sammy, was a popular figure in the small Oxford community, where he worked as a farmhand.
A permanent New Zealand resident, he had lived there for around four years and was a member of the local Oxford senior cricket team.
Ms Le Bas said formal identification of Mr Chandrasena was now complete, and his body would be released to his family in due course.
Police want to speak to anyone who saw a white Mitsubishi Chariot seven-seater vehicle early on February 23, between Oxford and Christchurch, New Zealand media reports.
