Former Sri Lanka Board (SLC) president Thilanga Sumathipala is most likely to be framed with Criminal Charges over a 12-page International Cricket Council (ICC) report that proves his involvement in betting and gambling, as well as taking US$ 1,000,000 bribe, Cricket Age exclusively learns.
The ICC, in his report, has suggested Sri Lanka Sports Ministry and SLC to lodge a criminal case as well.
“The legal expert, who are wary of the matter, are on the opinion to lodge a criminal case against Sumathipala as well” an insider at Sports Ministry told Cricket Age.
Accordingly, a criminal case is likely to be filed against Sumathipala at Central Investigation Department (CID). If that happens, an already banned Sumathipala could be landed in jail.
In a report handed over by the ICC to Sports Ministry, they had found incriminating evidence against Sumathipala. The report claims that SLC’s host broadcaster made a payment of US$ 100,000 to a private account operated by the former cricket chief in 1997. It has also emerged that half of this payment was meant to be set aside for then Sports Minister!
The payment had been done by Mark Mascarenhas, who founded Worldtel in 1989. Mascarenhas died of a car accident in Madras in 2002.
Sumathipala wasn’t the President of Board of Control for Cricket in 1997. The Board was headed by Upali Dharmadasa and Sumathipala was one of the Vice-Presidents. However, Sumathipala was the Chairman of Sponsorship Committee at that point.
Glen Palmer, a close confidant of Sumathipala once upon a time has spilled the beans on what had taken place more than 20 years ago. The report further establishes that Sumathipala had direct links with the betting industry and Palmer, who hails from the United Kingdom was helping him to further his interests in the betting industry.
Palmer and Sumathipala had fallen out and the former had come out with incriminating evidence including copies of cheques and telephone conversations.
