Former Sri Lanka national team cricketer Sachithra Senanayake was today released on two surety bails of Rs 5 mn each by the Colombo Chief Magistrate Prasanna de Alwis. The next hearing will be on December 1, 2023.
Senanayake was in remand custody over his alleged attempt to entice two players of the Colombo Kings franchise in the Lanka Premier League in 2020 into indulging in corrupt practices during the inaugural edition since September 6.
Senanayake, a member of the 2014 T20 World Cup winning team, was charged in 2020 after two cricketers–former Sri Lanka international Dhammika Prasad and a domestic cricketer Tharindu Ratnayake–complained to the local anti-corruption officer of alleged approaches to underperform.
He is charged under the Prevention of Offences related to Sports Act in 2019 which carries a maximum prison term of 10 years or a maximum fine of Rs.100mn or both.
An investigation was launched in 2020 on the insistence of the ICC Anti-Corruption head Alex Marshall. It revealed that the suspected cricketer had allegedly contacted both players via WhatsApp to influence them.
The Colombo Magistrate on August 14 issued an order banning Senanayake from travelling abroad for a period of three months.
Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pilleyan has been arrested by the CID in Batticaloa.
A person who carried a nine millimeter fire arm to the departure terminal of the Bandaranike International airport was arrested by airport police yesterday.
Visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will today jointly launch the signalling system for the Maho - Anuradhapura railway line.
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