July 18, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Colombo High Court will deliver the verdict of the high-profile murder trial of the British national Khuram Shaikh today (July 18).

The Colombo Chief High Court Judge Rohini Walgama said the verdict of the controversial murder trial will be issued on the 18th when the case was heard last time on July 11th.

Brother of the murder victim Nasser Shaikh, who has arrived in Colombo to hear the judge's verdict, has said that he is scared of the verdict. The main suspect has pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder.

The murder trial of British aid worker Khuram Shaikh at a resort in southern Town of Tangalle on the Christmas Eve of 2011 drew world's attention when the case was dragged on for over two years due to the political influence of the suspects.

Khuram Shaikh Zaman, 32, was killed and his companion, Victoria Alexandrovna of Russia was assaulted and gang raped in a brawl during a party at a tourist hotel in Rekawa, Tangalle on Christmas Eve in 2011.

The main allegation against the defendants is the murder of Khuram Shaikh and the raping of Victoria Alexandra.

The main suspect, former ruling party Chairman of Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha Sampath Chandra Pushpa Vidanapathirana and six others, were arrested and remanded following the murder, but the case dragged on until international pressure mounted on the Sri Lankan government to bring the culprits to justice.

The case was later transferred from the Tangalle Magistrate's Court to Colombo on the request of the Attorney General since the suspects have been threatening the witnesses at the trial.