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Sachithra Senanayake remanded (Update)

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Former Sri Lanka national cricketer Sachithra Senanayake who was arrested over allegations of match-fixing was today ordered to be remanded till September 15 by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

Sachithra Senanayake was arrested after being surrendered to the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Sports Ministry over allegations against him relating to match-fixing in the Lanka Premier League in 2020. 

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(Previous News : Sep. 06, 2023 at 12:03pm)

Sachithra Senanayake arrested over match-fixing

Former national cricketer Sachithra Senanayake was arrested this morning after he surrendered to the Special Investigation Unit of the Ministry of Sports. He is to be produced before the Colombo Magistrate shortly.

His arrest was following the Attorney General’s (AG) Department’s directive to press criminal charges against the former cricketer as “sufficient materials have been disclosed in terms of the Prevention of Offences related to Sports Act No. 24 of 2019”.

Three weeks ago, the Colombo Magistrate’s Court slapped a travel ban on the 38-year-old former Sri Lanka spinner and his passport was impounded after the AG’s Department asked for more time to investigate an incident from the 2020 Lanka Premier League (LPL). It will be in place till October 16, when the case is due to be taken up.

The former T20 World Cup-winning cricketer is reported to have approached two cricketers participating in the first edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) in 2020 via phone calls from Dubai, allegedly to entice them to fix matches. This is a criminal offence in Sri Lanka.

Senanayake has refuted this allegation claiming there were attempts to defame and slander him. He has vehemently denied any connection between him and the reports.

In a statement issued in 2020, he threatened action against those who published, disseminated or shared “such unsubstantiated and manifestly frivolous allegations bringing myself, my cricket and my family into public ridicule, shame, detriment and damage”.

However, after examining the evidence received from the SIU, the AG’s Department has reminded the SIU that, under the said Act, it has the authority to take charge of the accused’s mobile phone and also to direct mobile service providers to call up detailed records without obtaining a court order.

Corruption in sports was made a punishable offence by the enactment of the Prevention of Offences Related to Sports Act in 2019. This will be the first case that goes to trial since the enactment of the law. If proven guilty, Senanayake on conviction will be liable to a fine not exceeding Rs. 100mn or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years, or both.

He took 78 international wickets in 73 white-ball matches for Sri Lanka. He was wicketless in his only Test played against Pakistan in 2013/2014.

(sundaytimes.lk)

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Yoshitha Rajapaksa named suspect in money laundering case

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Sri Lanka Police said that they will file charges against Yoshitha Rajapaksa under the Prevention Of Money Laundering Act.

This was confirmed by Police Spokesperson Senior Superintendent of Police Buddhika Manatunga during a press conference held in Colombo this morning.

SSP Manatunga stated that an investigation into Yoshitha Rajapaksa has been ongoing since 2016, following the discovery of over Rs. 59 million in his bank accounts. Rajapaksa has been unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for the source of these funds. Consequently, the police initiated an investigation under the Prevention Of Money Laundering Act.

According to the Police Spokesperson, further investigations revealed that the funds were invested in fixed deposits and bank accounts maintained as a joint account with a woman named Daisy Forrest. Based on these findings, the Attorney General directed the police to name Daisy Forrest as a suspect in the case alongside Rajapaksa.

Today, the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court formally named Yoshitha Rajapaksa and Daisy Forrest as suspects in the money laundering case.

A foreign travel ban has already been imposed on Daisy Forrest. The police spokesperson said that Sri Lanka Police will continue to take necessary legal actions against all suspects involved in the case.

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No Change in Litro Gas Prices for February

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Channa Gunawardena, the Chairman of Litro Gas Company, has confirmed that the prices of domestic LP gas cylinders will remain unchanged for the month of February 2025.

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17 Police officers discharged from service for drug use

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Sri Lanka Police have terminated the services of 17 officers in the past four months for consuming illegal drugs, including heroin and synthetic substances like ICE.

Police Spokesman SSP Buddhika Manathunga said that the Intelligence Units and Special Investigations Unit compiled a list of officers within the Sri Lanka Police Department suspected of using drugs.

The officers in question were tested and medical reports were sent to the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board. Following the results, the officers were dismissed from the police force.

SSP Manathunga also confirmed that investigations are ongoing into several other officers facing similar charges, and action will be taken based on their medical test results.

The Acting Inspector General of Police has instructed that strict action be taken against senior officers involved in the matter.

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