da bwin： A Colombo Magistrate’s Court discharged Thilanga Sumathipala, the embattled president of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), on Monday
Wisden Cricinfo staff09-Dec-2003
Sumathipala wins again
© AFP
A Colombo Magistrate’s Court discharged Thilanga Sumathipala, the embattledpresident of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), on Monday. The judge ruled thatthe Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had not unearthed sufficientevidence to prosecute him for his alleged involvement with an underworldgangster.Sumathipala, who appeared in public for the first time in 10 days on Mondaynight, has been accused by a Sunday newspaper of helping a suspected mafiafigure, Dhammika Amarasinghe, travel to the UK in 1999 to watch the WorldCup.Sumathipala was alleged to have used board funds to finance the trip andalso help Amarasinghe obtain a British visa on a fraudulent passport. Thenewspaper had also accused Sumathipala of plotting the assassination oftheir editor.But, after a week of legal wrangling, Sumathipala won a discharge as amagistrate’s judge ruled that the CID had produced insufficient evidence tojustify his arrest. Discharging Sumathipala, the judge told the CID to referthe matter to court again if any new evidence – namely the allegedfraudulent passport and embarkation documents – were obtained.Sumathipala immediately organised a press conference at the cricket boardheadquarters and launched into an offensive against his accusers: “Thisorganised mud slinging has been launched to coincide with the Englandcricket team’s visit. It has caused irreparable damage to Sri Lankan cricketand my name has been tarnished”, he told reporters.”A Sunday paper repeatedly attacked me causing immense personal and mentalanguish to me and my family,” he said, adding, “They tried to connect mewith underworld, to which I had no ties.””Ten days ago the CID was ordered to arrest me, so I went to the SupremeCourt and filed a Fundamental Rights application. The Attorney Generalappeared on behalf of the CID and said they had not given an order to arrestme. But the next day the Magistrate’s Court ordered my arrest if there wasevidence. But the judge, after going through the case, said there was notenough evidence to frame any charges,” he said.Again, on Friday, the AG ordered his arrest. Sumathipala’s legal team wasforced to take further action on Monday morning. They appeared on Monday,convening a Magistrate’s Court despite a Poya day holiday, and once againwon a favourable judgement. “There was no evidence linking me to theunderworld,” Sumathipala declared.Sumathipala requested extra personal security from the government, claimingthat the scandal had put his life in danger: “I still receive threats on mymobile phone. I think the government should consider a high-level inquiryinto this matter and I hope to discuss this matter with the IGP and others.”