Sachithra behaved like a seasoned criminal – DSG

Has misled investigators, given wrong data for investigations

49-minute telephone conversation with Dhammika Prasad

Dhammika Prasad: If we do these things, our children will also suffer

Former veteran players behind the cases of match-fixing

Players had blocked international calls from the bookies

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, informed Colombo Chief Magistrate Prasanna Alwis yesterday (15), that former cricketer Sachithra Senanayake’s conversation with cricketer Dhammika Prasad revealed that persons of the Cricket Board’s Corruption Committee as well as former veteran players of the Sri Lankan cricket team are behind the cases of match-fixing for money.

The Deputy Solicitor General said this yesterday (15) when the case of former cricketer Sachithra Senanayake exerting pressure on two players to cheat during a match for money at the Premier League first phase held in 2020 was taken up for hearing again.

Dileepa Peiris, Deputy Solicitor General appeared for the prosecution.

The suspect was brought before the court on the 6th. On that day, the court conducted a bail order analysis report and remanded the suspect for nine days. On the 13th, the suspect was ordered to be produced before the government analyst. The government analyst had given a date to bring the suspect on another day instead of doing the voice test that day because there was a defect in some equipment in that office.

On the last court date, the suspect promised the court that the person who gave the bottle of whiskey to Tharindu Ratnayake, at the Shangri-La Hotel, who was involved in the incident, will be brought to the sports offences investigation unit.

Accordingly, on 13 September, a person named Don Muditha Niranga came to the investigation unit through a lawyer. When investigating officers went to obtain a statement from the suspect Sachithra who had come to Sri Lanka after being under quarantine, from Dubai on January 29, 2023, he had said that there was a group of people inside his house and left the officers outside and gone in. He had then returned after two hours and handed over his mobile phones to the investigation officers.

Instead of the phone required for the investigation, he had given another phone and given statements to the investigating officers that he changed the SIM card from time to time.

The suspect submitted an expected bail application to the court in February 2023 and the court rejected it. Later, the police obtained three statements from the suspect based on court orders. He did not voluntarily support the investigations and was made to come to the police on court orders.

At that time, the suspect gave his address as 71/1 Gramodaya Mawatha Pannipitiya to the Police as 171/1. The last numbers of the phone number of Muditha, the person who gave the bottle of whiskey to Tharindu Ratnayake at Shangri-la Hotel have been changed. After calling for phone analysis reports related to this person Muditha, it had been revealed that he is a Muslim student who is sitting for the Advanced Level examination in Wariyapola.

By these actions of the suspect, he has behaved like a seasoned criminal. The suspect has misled the investigators and given wrong data for the investigations.

The suspect had given statements that his mobile phone had fallen into the river while boating in Mauritius. Three players Ajantha Mendis, Chamara Kapugedara and Rajeev Weerasinghe have given statements to the police regarding this boat incident. They have stated that Sachithra Senanayake was in the same hotel with them and at no time did he tell them that his mobile phone had fallen into the river.

The suspect had engaged in a 49-minute telephone conversation with Dhammika Prasad. After Dhammika Prasad informed the team manager about this, the team manager had complained to the International Cricket Council. Later, the players had blocked the international calls from the bookies.

After that, the suspect Sachithra Senanayake had made calls to the players.

What’s wrong with the message?

Did you block the number?

Did you tell Angelo Aiya and the manager?

Have they given it to Anti-Corruption?

I put in a word, don’t tell anyone. The word here means that a bottle of whisky will be brought.

Dhammika Prasad: If we do these things, our children will also suffer.

Dileepa Peiris – Mentioning the name of a former President, the suspect had given impetus to this offence by saying that the children of the President are doing well.

DSG Peiris:He is a person who heroically bullies and writes letters and gets the assistance of a President’s Counsel and misleads the investigators.

Dileepa Peiris stated that facts were revealed from Muditha’s statements that fifteen managers and players from Colombo and Dambulla had been taken to a club and parties had been held monthly and money was spent on them and since further investigations should be conducted as to who these players are and who was directing them, he was objecting to bail being granted to the suspect.

President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa appearing for suspect Sachithra Senanayake:

The investigation unit has reported facts to the court regarding a complaint that occurred during the time of Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa.

According to Alex Marshall’s complaint, an investigation had been carried out. If you look into his surroundings, there are scams related to him which have been mentioned.

How did you find the house if you gave the wrong address? Are there any notes about it?.

Kalinga Indatissa PC questioned the investigation unit.

The case exhibits should be sent to the Government Analyst five days before the suspect is presented for the voice test. However, the police did not do so and acted with the aim of remanding the suspect again.

I was talking about Muditha that I know.I don’t know about any other Mudithas, the investigations have been completed to a certain extent. Three of my phones have been handed over. Statements of five players have been obtained. Apart from this, I have gone abroad and returned to Sri Lanka six times. Sir,there is no reason not to support the investigations to bypass the court, we have continued to support and accordingly seek bail on any condition.

DSG Dileepa Peiris: The affidavits submitted to court were signed yesterday at the prison. A wrong address was given. Video tapes were given to the court saying that he had video tapes of the locked house.

Muditha’s phone number which was given was also wrong. I am strongly against granting bail to those who have acted like this.

Magistrate: According to Section 14(1)a of the Bail Act, evidence that the suspect influenced the witnesses was not presented to court. But since it is revealed that the person who presented the suspect is another person, the complaint states to the court that it is necessary to investigate who that person is. I refuse to grant bail to the suspect based on the facts that the investigation unit said that it is necessary to get a statement from the suspect and conduct the investigation based on the facts revealed by him.

The Magistrate, who refused to grant bail as he felt that there would be obstacles in the administration of justice, ordered the prison superintendent to allow the Officer-In-Charge of the

Sports Offences Special Investigation Unit to obtain a statement from the suspect in the prison on the 19th of this month and further remanded the suspect until September 25.