The Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) is deliberately delaying the investigation against its controversial assistant secretary Crysantha Kapuwatha over his startling revelation on the Committee Of Public Enterprises (COPE) member Sujeewa Senasinghe IN order to protect him, Cricket Age reliably learns.
On September 19, Cricket Age had published how Kapuwatha claimed in front of SLC ExCo members about bribing Senasinghe, in order to get Scot free on the ongoing investigation in the parliament.
The COPE, which is investigating several fraudulent practices at SLC, commenced it’s investigation on September 3, where few top board administrators and officials were questioned over various fraudulent transactions, bank accounts.
Crysantha made these shocking claims in front of SLC officials on September 3, while returning in a bus from the parliament after being deposed before COPE.
Crysantha gave the example of Arjun Aloysius, one of the accused of Sri Lanka’s biggest Bond Scam, who had reportedly tried to bribe Senasinghe in his attempt to get Scot free. Crysantha further claimed that as he is also owns liquor shops like Arjun Aloysius, he would bring Senasinghe to their side and in return they needs to look after his election campaign.
After Cricket Age expose, Senasinghe, during COPE previous hearing on the same day (September 19) had ordered SLC to conduct the inquiry over Kapuwatha’s claims.
However, as it has always been a norm with SLC, the board officials have taken little interest in conducting the inquiry.
According to sources, the SLC, though, has appointed a lawyer Isuru Balapatabandi for the investigation, the dates are yet to be fixed.
“Mr. Isuru has been appointed at the last ExCo held on 23rd September. but the minute was given on 10th October for execution, so he has not started the investigation yet” a top SLC official told Cricket Age.
The purposely delay by SLC Top brass in conducting the inquiry raises several questions, as the wintnesses, who were present into the bus at that time, has shown their willingness to give statement against Kapuwatha.
It is noteworthy that the ongoing COPE investigation has unmasked the real face of SLC management. So much so that after the first part of investigation on September 3, COPE ordered SLC to suspend it’s so called initiative named Cricket Aid, which was a brainchild of former SLC President Thilanga Sumathipala.
