Welcoming the verdicts and sentences handed down today to those responsible for the murder of Red Cross worker Khuram Shaikh, Britain today said it will continue to closely monitor any developments in the case.

Former Chairman of the Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha, Sampath Vidanapathirana, and three other suspects were sentenced to 20 years Rigorous Imprisonment over the British aid worker’s murder and raping of his girlfriend at a resort in Tangalle.

“We welcome the verdicts and sentences handed down today to those responsible for the murder of Khuram Shaikh. We hope that this will begin some closure for his family and friends who have faced a long and difficult fight for justice,” the British High Commission in Colombo said in a statement.

“The officials of the Attorney General’s office have shown great professionalism and integrity and we would like to thank them. We will continue to monitor any developments in the case closely.”

The trial at the High Court in Colombo represents years of campaigning after Red Cross worker Khuram Shaikh was murdered in December 2011 and his partner brutally assaulted while they were on holiday at the tourist resort of Tangalle.

Meanwhile Nasser Shaikh, the brother of Khuram, says that Sri Lanka has done what many people hoped and prayed for and that those who killed his brother have been punished and are now behind bars for a long time.

“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 and the country can move forward in a better place for many, ensuring no other person suffers the same fate as my brother,” he said, in a statement issued today.


STATEMENT FROM NASSER SHAIKH ON THE VERDICT OF THE KHURAM SHAIKH TRIAL IN COLOMBO 
 
“Today, the country has done what many people hoped and prayed for. Those who killed my brother have been punished and are now behind bars for a long time. Our campaign was not only about justice, but to bring awareness of the wonderful work my brother did around the world, working in humanitarian aid. He is a true inspiration for many and we hope his legacy continues with those he left behind.
 
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 and the country can move forward in a better place for many, ensuring no other person suffers the same fate as my brother.
 
I wish to thank everyone who embarked on my personal journey around the world and supported it immensely, which includes the Sri Lankan public. I would also like to thank the British Government who have been instrumental in seeking answers for our family, the Sri Lankan officials for progressing the trial towards its resolution, but more importantly to acknowledge the bravery and defiance shown by those who gave witness accounts in the case. Today is a symbolic moment: a day the country delivered justice – a day I delivered my promise to a brother.”