Sachithra questioned for 10 hours by SIU

Former national cricketer Sachithra Senanayake on Thursday gave a 10- hour long statement to the Police Special Investigative Unit (SIU) of the Sports Ministry in relation to allegations of match-fixing made against him.

The SIU, which has been set up in accordance with the Prevention of Offences Related to Sports Act No. 24 of 2019, had also questioned Senanayake for eight hours on Wednesday.

The SIU is carrying out an investigation after it was alleged that Senanayake had approached two cricketers ahead of last year’s Lanka Premier League (LPL) and committed offences that are in violation of the Prevention of Offences Related to Sports Act.

Accordingly, the SIU had informed him to submit a financial statement of his assets and liabilities to the unit on the next date.

The LPL T20 tournament was held from November 27 to December 17 2020 in Hambantota, Sri Lanka.

Senanayake also filed an anticipatory bail application in the Colombo Magistrate’s Court seeking to prevent his arrest over the match-fixing allegations, but the Magistrate rejected it as his lawyer had not completed the application procedure properly.