MP seeks help over Khuram Shaikh trial

Khuram Shaikh

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk is asking the UK government to apply pressure on the President of Sri Lanka to not interfere in the trial of Khuram Shaikh from Rochdale - the Rochdale born red cross worker who was murdered on Christmas Day in 2011.

The high court in Sri Lanka has already heard several months of evidence regarding the death of Khuram and it has now emerged that the presiding judge has been put forward for promotion to the Appeal Courts.

Mr Danczuk suspects political interference could halt the trial and wants the UK government to put pressure on the Sri Lankan authorities to make sure the trial continues.

Simon Danczuk said: “This case has taken a long time to get to trial and all along we’ve feared that political interference is holding it back. Not least because a close associate of the President is on trial accused of murdering my constituent Khuram Shaikh. Now it’s got to trial and is at an advanced stage - but just at the point where the family can finally see the prospect of justice being delivered, we learn that the case may collapse and have to start all over again.

It’s been reported in a Sinhalese paper that the presiding judge is being recommended for a promotion to the appeals court. The matter is in the hands of President Rajapaksa and if it goes ahead then we could see the farcical situation whereby the defense lawyers demand a complete retrial.

"All along I’ve warned of political interference and for the sake of the family of Khuram, who are still grieving, I have asked ministers today to urge President Rajapaksa to delay the promotion until this trial concludes. We’ve fought so hard to get here and we cannot risk the trial collapsing over an intervention that can and should be avoided. We need common sense to prevail otherwise this will look to the whole world a politically motivated intervention to help a politician escape justice."