Six men, including a close associate of President Mahinda Rajapkse have been charged with the murder of Khurram Shaikh, who was shot and stabbed in Tangalle, southern Sri Lanka, in 2011.
The suspects have been freed on bail until the next court date, yet to be determined.
Progress on the case has been slow, but increasing international pressure and the forthcoming Commonwealth summit in the country, have pushed the government to act on the case.
Rochdale MP Simon Danzcuk cautiously welcomed the news.
“This has been a long and hard campaign and let’s hope this is now the beginning of the end. I have directly raised my concerns with the Prime Minister about his attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka next month, and I hope the first thing the President does when he shakes David Cameron’s hand is confirm that justice is being done,” the MP said in an email to the Colombo Gazette.