Lankan accused of killing wife in Canada, wants to be deported

A Sri Lankan refugee in Canada, who was charged with murdering his wife, has told the Immigration and Refugee Board during his detention hearing on Thursday that he wants to be deported back to Sri Lanka, Toronto Sun reported on Friday.

The refugee, Sivaloganathan Thanabalasingam, has said that he no longer fears returning to home country.

“I don’t have any kids, I don’t have anything in Criminal Code or immigration code,” he said. “So I don’t know why I’m still in jail. That’s what I’m thinking ... to go back to my country.”

Thanabalasingam, 31, was charged with second-degree murder in the slaying of his 21-year-old wife, Anuja Baskaran.

The charge was stayed in April after the length of the proceedings was deemed to have violated a recent Supreme Court of Canada ruling that set time limits for trials to be completed.

He became the first murder suspect in Quebec to be set free as a consequence of the court ruling, known as the Jordan decision.

Crown officials in Quebec are appealing the Superior Court decision that stayed the proceedings. Despite being set free, Thanabalasingam was never released from custody.

After the stay, he was promptly rearrested by Canada Border Services Agency and ordered deported by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

Thanabalasingam is still protected by Canada as a refugee, so it is unclear if and how he will be deported.