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DNA samples found at crime scene match those of 3 suspects: Prof. Gunawardena
The prosecution rested its case on a high note, in the trial into the murder of British national Khuram Shaikh , with medical evidence placed before Court on Thursday confirming that DNA samples found at the scene of the crime matched those of three of the suspects. When the case was heard this week before High Court Judge Rohini Welgama, Prof. Nilmini C. Gunawardena in her evidence informed Court that the DNA tests carried out with the samples collected from the crime scene in Tangalle matched the blood samples obtained from the former Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha chairman Sampath Chandrapushpa Vidanapathirana.
Prof. Gunawardena said that she received the productions on February 9, 2012 together with a questionnaire and she examined the samples in the presence of the officer who brought them. She further stated that the DNA tests done with the blood samples taken from the victim matched the blood samples of two of the other suspects, namely Saman Deshapriya and Prageeth Chaturanga.
Khuram Shaikh was killed and his Russian fiancé Tkacheva Victoria Alexandra was beaten up and sexually assaulted during the incident which took place on Christmas day in 2011 at ‘The Nature’ hotel in Tangalle. The accused Obadage Lahiru Kelum Saman Deshapriya, Sampath Chandrapushpa, Vidanapathirana and Prageet Chaturanga were indicted by the Attorney General in connection with the killing of Shaikh and the attack on his girlfriend. The defence will call witnesses starting tomorrow.