Lankans to be tried for murder

9 July 2012 01:50 am

Two Sri Lankan men will stand trial on charges of murdering 28-year-old Sameera Chandrasena, whose body was found in a burnt-out house he rented in Domain Rd, Oxford, in February.

Police said an autopsy showed that Chandrasena, who was also from Sri Lanka, was found with injuries consistent with him having died of an assault before the fire started.

Thuvan Prawash Sawal, 23, and Viraj Alahakoon, 33, a jeweller, both of St Albans, are jointly charged with arson and murder.

They were committed for trial when they appeared in Christchurch District Court on Friday and are next due to appear at a High Court pre-trial conference on August 24.

Both remain in custody. (Source: stuff.co)