DNA found at murder scene of British tourist matches politician’s DNA
Saturday, 21 June 2014 00:00
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A DNA test conducted on the blood found at the scene of the murder of a British tourist at a hotel in the Southern Province proved that the blood samples found at the crime scene matched with the blood of the chief murder suspect.
Professor Nilmini Gunarathna of the Molecular Medicine Faculty of Kelaniya University verified the report at the Colombo High Court.
Chief suspect of the murder, Sampath Chandrapushpa Vidanapathirana was the Chairman of the Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha local government. He is a member of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party.
The assassinated British national Khuram Shaikh, an official of the ICRC was holidaying in Sri Lanka when he was killed and his girlfriend was raped by a gang at a hotel in Tangalle on Christmas Eve in 2011.
Vidanapathirana and eight others are indicted for the murder and rape. Vidanapathirana has been remanded until the case is heard since he violated the bail conditions.
