(UDHAYAM, MONTREAL) – Canada’s Immigration Department has said that a Sri Lankan refugee who was accused of killing his wife but set free by the Court, will be deported to Sri Lanka within the next two-weeks.
Sivaloganathan Thanabalasingam, 31, a refugee from Sri Lanka who was charged with murdering his wife in Quebec was set free by the Court last month after the length of his criminal proceedings exceeded the legal limit.
Ewa Staszewicz, a lawyer for the Canada’s Immigration Department, is confirming steps are being taken to obtain the necessary travel documents for Thanabalasingam, The Canadian Press reported.
Thanabalasingam, told an Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada hearing Friday (09) that he doesn’t believe he will be in danger in his home country and no longer needs to be protected as a refugee.
Thanabalasingam was arrested in August 2012 after his 21-year-old wife, Anuja Baskaran’s body was found in their apartment in the Ahuntsic neighborhood of Montreal. The woman in her twenties had been stabbed at the throat many times.
He was charged with second-degree murder in the slaying of 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.
He was detained by Canada Border Services Agency upon his release and a deportation order was issued against him.
Thanabalasingam, who came to Canada as a refugee, originally appealed the deportation order but later changed his mind and asked to be sent back to Sri Lanka.
There is still an appeal pending against Thanabalasingam as the Crown has challenged the judgment that halted the legal proceedings against him.