Court rejects Anticipatory Bail filed by Sachithra Senanayake

The Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court today rejected the anticipatory bail application filed by former national cricketer Sachithra Senanayake preventing his arrest over allegations relating to match-fixing in the Lanka Premier League last year. 

When the case was taken up before the Colombo Additional Magistrate Kanchana Neranjana Silva, counsel Nuwan Beligahawatta appearing on behalf of cricketer Senanayake submitted the anticipatory bail application.

After considering the application the magistrate informed the Counsel, he had not completed the application procedure properly, thus rejected the application and asked for a re-submission.

Currently the Sports Ministry’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU) is conducting an inquiry into the matter and had already recorded statements from the two cricketers who participated in the LPL.

The case had been filed by Sport’s Ministry’s SIU under 2019 No. 24 prevention of offences related to Sports Act.
Under this act if anybody is found guilty before the magistrate’s court, they would have to pay a fine of Rs. 500,000 and/or a 10-year jail term.

The Daily Mirror learns that Senanayake had approached two cricketers from the Sinhalese Sports Club, the club the accused has represented in domestic cricket.

One of the approached players had promptly informed the team manager and an official of the club’s hierarchy.

Aware that the official was informed of the alleged approach, the accused had called the official to explain.

The official had subsequently given him a hearing, but had nevertheless informed SLC of the incident.

Senanayake has been suspended from the club until the inquiry is completed.  (Yoshitha Perera)