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SLC denies making alleged salary payments to fmr. IGP Tennakoon

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Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has denied allegations raised by MP Hesha Withanage over paying former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon a salary of Rs. 150,000 and providing him with other perks.

The allegations were made by the MP during the Parliamentary debate on the Appropriation Bill held yesterday (March 18).

The full statement made by SLC in this regard is as follows :

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) wishes to categorically deny and strongly refute the baseless and false allegations made by Hon. MP Hesha Withanage during the Parliamentary debate on the Appropriation Bill held on 18th March 2025.

During the said debate, MP Withanage alleged that Sri Lanka Cricket has paid a sum of Rs. 150,000/= as a salary to Deshabandu Tennakoon, then Inspector General of Police, and further claimed that SLC had provided him with a laptop, mobile phone, and other perks as per an Executive Committee decision. It was also asserted that these actions amounted to bribery and that the officials of Sri Lanka Cricket should be held accountable under the provisions of law for offering a bribe.

Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to firmly state that these allegations are completely false, baseless, and devoid of any factual foundation.

We wish to state that Sri Lanka Cricket is acutely aware of its primary responsibility to ensure the highest level of security for foreign national teams, international tours, players, events, and visiting dignitaries, including state heads. As such, SLC continuously engages with Sri Lanka’s security personnel, including high-ranking army personnel and senior police officers, to maintain the safety and security of all involved.

In this regard, it is a common and essential practice to enlist the support of both active and retired high-ranking officers to ensure comprehensive safety measures during international cricket tours.

During the period when Mr. Deshabandu Tennakoon served as the Senior Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Western Province, SLC sought his expertise on security matters related to international tours. This request was made during a time when the country was experiencing a “New Normal’ situation emanating out of the Covid pandemic,’ where SLC had to take extra precautions to implement the “Covid Protocols’ enforced by the health authorities to ensure the safety of the players and officials engaged in playing international and domestic cricket tournaments. It is such measures that helped Sri Lanka Cricket conduct several international and domestic tournaments during the said time without any hindrance.

Following our request, as a mark of professionalism and adherence to official protocols, Mr. Tennakoon conveyed to SLC that he would require prior authorization from higher authorities due to his active duty status. Subsequently, Mr. Tennakoon informed SLC that, as an active police officer, he was not authorized to undertake any special tasks outside his official duties.

Nonetheless, he assured his readiness to provide necessary security assistance as required, considering the national significance of such engagements.

We categorically state that Sri Lanka Cricket has not made any payment, provided any laptop, mobile phone, or other perks to Mr. Deshabandu Tennakoon, nor has he been engaged as a consultant or in any other capacity with SLC.

Sri Lanka Cricket strongly condemns the unfounded and misleading statements made by MP Hesha Withanage under the parliamentary privileges and urges responsible conduct when making public statements to avoid causing unnecessary harm to the reputation and integrity of institutions and individuals.

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Man injured in Panadura shooting

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A 32-year-old man was injured in a shooting incident in Malamulla, Hirana, Panadura early this morning (July 11), police said.

According to reports, an unidentified individual had broken a window of the victim’s house and opened fire before fleeing.

The injured man has been admitted to Panadura Hospital for treatment.

Police suspect that a pistol was used in the attack but say the motive remains unknown.

03 police teams are investigating to identify and arrest the suspects, the Police Media Division said.

The police also suspect that the shooting targeted an associate of “Kudu Salindu” amid the conflict between “Kudu Salindu” and “Nilanga”.

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2025 G.C.E. A/L exam dates announced

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The Commissioner General of Examinations – A.K.S. Indika Kumari has announced that the 2025 G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination is scheduled to be held from Nov. 10 – Dec. 05, 2025.

Meanwhile, the 2025 G.C.E. Ordinary Level Examination is scheduled to be held in February 2026.

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Rain and winds forecast today

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Several spells of showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts today (July 11), the Department of Meteorology said.

A few showers may occur in the North-western province as well.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in the Ampara and Batticaloa districts during the afternoon or night.

Fairly strong winds of about 30-40 kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the central hills and in North-western, North-central and Southern provinces.

The general public has also been requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

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