External Affairs Ministry clarifies matters

With regard to the death of British national Khuram Shaikh on December 25, 2011 the External Affairs Ministry has issued the following press release:

The attention of the government of Sri Lanka has been drawn to the media interviews given by UK MP for Rochdale, Simon Danczuk during his recent visit to Sri Lanka to make inquiries about the progress in the legal proceedings relating to the death of Khuram Shaikh a British national, which took place on December 25, 2011 in Tangalle.

The government of Sri Lanka condemned the incident strongly following the death and conveyed its commitment to prosecute the persons responsible. After the conclusion of initial police investigations, the suspects connected with the murder were produced before the Tangalle Magistrate and remanded. They subsequently were released on bail.

The government has made every endeavour to initiate the criminal proceedings. A special prosecutor has been nominated by the Attorney General to conduct the prosecution under the guidance of the Additional Solicitor General who heads the Criminal Division of the Attorney General’s Department.

In order to expedite proceedings, a decision has also been taken by the Attorney General to forward a direct indictment to the High Court without the non-summary inquiry which is now possible, pursuant to a law passed this year. The Criminal Investigations Department has concluded investigations and submitted its report to the Attorney General’s Department. The Government Analyst’s report relating to the DNA evidence is awaited and all arrangements have been made to commence proceedings upon receipt of same. The Attorney General’s Department is closely monitoring the progress of the Government Analyst in this regard.

During the recent visit of Simon Danczuk MP to Colombo, along with Naseer Shaikh the brother of Khuram Shaikh, the government facilitated meetings in spite of the short notice and the busy schedules of policy makers and senior officials, to brief them on the progress made in the case and also to listen to the concerns of the delegation. As the case is currently before Court and matter is subjudice, meetings with the visiting delegation could only be facilitated to that extent.