SJB assures punishment on those responsible for Wasim?s murder

By Easwaran Rutnam

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) today assured maximum punishment on those responsible for the murder of rugby player Wasim Thajudeen.

SJB office bearer Rehan Jayawickreme told Colombo Gazette that action will be taken on the accused no matter what their standing in society is.

“Several people have made false promises to secure power at any cost. This has created a massive dent in terms of the way people look and feel towards populist Politics.?Even though you may have heard this from multiple political entities before us, let me give you a promise as an active and office bearing member of the SJB that in the event of a future SJB led Government, we will do our utmost to ensure that a sound, political meddling free justice system will be in place to give maximum punishment to the perpetrators who were responsible for Wasim?s murder. no matter what their standing in society is,” Jayawickreme said.

Jayawickreme said that taking action on the accused will not bring Wasim back but it will help to heal the wounds of his family and friends.

“It will also send a message to other criminals that they will not be able to roam the streets after committing actions such as this,” Jayawickreme said.

Thajudeen was killed in a car crash on 17 May 2012 which was initially pronounced to be an accident but was later investigated as a murder.

The Government which took office in 2015 opened a fresh investigation into the murder but failed to ensure the main perpetrators were arrested.

Fresh investigations had revealed that Thajudeen?s femurs, pelvic bones and teeth had been broken prior to his death.

The Police had also claimed that the initial investigation into Thajudeen?s death were shelved due to political pressure. The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had claimed that there had been attempts to conceal evidence during the initial probe.?(Colombo Gazette)