The Colombo Magistrate imposes a travel ban on cricketer Sachitra Senanayake

The Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court today issued an order directing the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration to prevent former national cricketer Sachithra Senanayake from leaving the country. This travel ban will be effective for a three-month period.

The Court made this order pursuant to a request made by Senior Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris over allegations against the former national cricketer relating to match-fixing in the Lanka Premier League in 2020. The Court was informed that the Attorney General’s Department has given instructions to the Special Investigation Unit of the Sports Ministry to frame criminal charges against Sachithra Senanayake regarding this incident.

The case had been filed by the Sports Ministry’s SIU under 2019 No. 24 Prevention of Offences related to the 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.