Sachithra Senanayake faces criminal charges over match fixing
The Attorney General’s Department has directed the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Ministry of Sports to press criminal charges against former Sri Lanka cricketer Sachithra Senanayake as “sufficient materials have been disclosed in terms of the Prevention of Offences related to Sports Act No. 24 of 2019”.
Their instructions follow shortly after the ICC’s (International Cricket Council) Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) General Manager Alex Marshall held several rounds of discussion with local cricket officials and representatives of the AG’s Department early this week.
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 to entice them to fix matches. This is a criminal offence in Sri Lanka.
Senanayake has refuted the allegations while 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, the Unit has the authority to take charge of the accused’s mobile phone and also to direct the mobile service providers to call up detailed records without obtaining a court order.
Although Senanayake had handed over two of his mobile phones to the investigators, it was revealed they do not belong to the player. Informed sources said that, while he had misled the investigators by not submitting his own mobile phone, the ICC ACU has records of his evidence of his conversations with the players.
In addition to the local investigation, the ICC ACU is also inquiring into the matter.
Senanayake filed an anticipatory bail application in the Colombo Magistrate’s Court seeking the prevention of his arrest over match-fixing allegations in March 2021, but the Magistrate turned it down.
Corruption in sports was made a punishable offence by the enactment of the Prevention of Offences Related to Sports Act in 2019. His 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 Sri Lanka Rupees 100 Million or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years, or both fine and imprisonment.
The 38-year-old had taken 78 international wickets in 73 white-ball matches for Sri Lanka. He was wicketless in his only Test played against Pakistan in 2013/2014.
Match-fixing was allegedly prevalent in Sri Lanka a few years ago with the ACU, at one point, investigating as many as 22 live cases. However, since banning some former high-profile cricketers, there was a significant improvement in player behaviour. They have also become better at reporting suspicions.
These investigations forced the Sports Ministry to introduce stringent laws to tackle the growing menace. Sri Lanka was the first South Asian country to enact legislation on sports-related corruption.