UK MP welcomes Namal’s comment

UK Member of Parliament Simon Danczuk has welcomed comments made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa?s son Namal Rajapaksa?that ?there has to be a trial? to make sure the people who murdered his constituent are brought to justice.
He was?referring?to the murder of?UK national Khuram Shaikh?on 25 December 2011 in Tangalle,
Namal Rajapaksa recently told the BBC that he did not know why the accused were out on bail and that ?there had to be a trial?. He added that ?these kind of incidents should not take place?.
Pressed on the involvement of local politician Sampath Chandra Pushpa Vidanapathiran, who was one of the suspects out on bail, Rajapaksa said he was ?shocked to learn that one of my colleagues had got involved in such a thing?.
Welcoming the President?s son?s comments, Simon Danczuk MP said it was now widely acknowledged in Sri Lankan politics that the murder of Khuram Shaikh had damaged the country?s reputation.
?There has to be a greater sense of urgency to get this trial moving, it?s no good politicians saying ?there must be a trial? while in the meantime the wheels of justice are moving at snail pace,? he said.
?This is a problem that?s not going away,? he added. ?I know most Sri Lankans are ashamed that this terrible crime happened. But it?s time the Sri Lankan Government started taking these crimes seriously and delivered justice for the victims.?
The government had in March said that the Attorney General (AG) is to forward a direct indictment to the High Court, without a non summary inquiry, relating to the death of Khuram Shaikh.
It said that a?special prosecutor has been nominated by the Attorney General to conduct the prosecution under the guidance of the Addl. Solicitor General who heads the Criminal Division of the Attorney General?s Department.?(Colombo Gazette)
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