On the Christmas Day 2011 a Briton, Khuram Shaikh Zaman was murdered and his Russian girlfriend gang raped in a resort in Tangalle, Sri Lanka. The incident had a negative impact on the tourism industry in Sri Lanka and made the then ruling Mahinda Rajapakse regime unpopular for interfering in the judicial process.
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Background
Khuram Shaikh Zaman, age 32, was a Red Cross worker. He had been fitting prosthetic limbs in Gaza in the previous months and was on holiday in Sri Lanka with his 23 year old Russian girl friend, Victoria Alexandrovna, hoping to spend Christmas and New Year in the island. They were staying at a resort in Tangalle, which was owned by Sampath Chandra Pushpa Vidanapathirana, a local council leader and political ally of the then president Mahinda Rajapakse.
Events
As Christmas Day dawned there were about 60 people in the dance floor, both locals and foreigners. Both Shaikh and his girlfriend were there when a brawl erupted between a group of men. When Shaikh got involved to help a man being assaulted about six to eight men led by Sampath Vidanapathirana assaulted and killed Khuram Shaikh and sexually abused his girlfriend who was found on the beach with her clothes torn apart and with bruises on her body. She was admitted to the Matara hospital from which she was transferred to the Karapitiya hospital.
Trial and Conviction
The trial of the guilty stalled due to the political alliance Sampath Vidanapathirana had with the president. But under intense diplomatic preassure by the UK government Sampath Vidanapathirana was jailed for 20 years for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, along with three other men in July 2014 almost two years after the crime.
Lahiru Kelum, U. Sama Deshapriya and Praneeth Chathuranga who were convicted of Mr Shaikh's killing with the former council leader were all also found guilty of raping a woman.
Aftermath
In response to the court decision a statement from the British High Commission in Colombo said: "We hope that this will bring some closure for his family and friends who have faced a long and difficult fight for justice.
"We will continue to monitor any developments in the case closely."
This incident and many such incidents were highlighted by the opposition to showcase the widespread lawlessness in the country fueled by political meddling with the judiciary. This led to the ultimate defeat of president Mahinda Rajapakse in the presidential election 2015.