Probe committee recommends criminal investigation

The probe Committee, who were appointed by the Sports Minister, Lakshman Kiriella, to investigate into alleged financial mismanagement of the outgoing Executive Committee, claimed in a six-page press release today, that there was, in their opinion, sufficient suspicious evidence to launch a criminal inquiry into the activities of the dissolved board.

Moreover, the probe Committee - which was not supported by Thilanga Sumathipala, the ex-President, who pointed out that some of the committee members were likely to be hostile to him having supported his opponents in the last two cricket board elections - revealed that it could find no evidence to confirm that the Sri Lankan cricket board (BCCSL) had obtained legal ownership of the land upon which the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium had been built.

The five-man Committee, which was headed by Hemantha Warnakulasuriya, commenced the 15-day inquiry on June 1st and handed over the report over to the Sports Minister on Friday. A press release was handed over to the media today.

The release states that they were able to "investigate and inquire into four major acts of malpractice, corruption, misuse and abuse of power, breach of trust and/or misappropriation of funds." Having done so they arrived at "tentative" conclusions.

"The Committee found that the evidence was sufficient to warrant further investigations being carried out by the Police and/or the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), as it involves embezzlement of funds of over one million Rupees."

The press release is, however, short of details and admits that, "the culpability of the persons involved in this massive fraud, can only be arrived at by a thorough investigation." The Committee also accuses the outgoing board of, "violating the BCCSL's constitution."

The currently contested issue of the ownership over the land on which the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium was constructed takes up most of the six-page release. The Committee states that on the basis of the evidence provided to them, "the BCCSL did not possess in its office a single document or piece of paper which bears the right, title or interest the BCCSL has to the land on which the stadium is built."

Upon examination of the lease agreement the Committee reveals that it had discovered that the agreement, though signed in front of an Attorney at Law, 'bears no date, has no stamps affixed and has no attestation certifying that the deed had been attested.' Moreover, there is, "no evidence that the deed had been submitted for registration to the relevant Land Registry."

The 36-acres of land was leased to a 'Trust' by the name of 'Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium Trust' but the committee confers doubt upon this trust, claiming that it had, "no legal existence."

The press release accuses the dissolved cricket board of constructing the stadium in defiance of the Buddhist Advisory Board and the Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs, who had refused to sanction the stadiums development, on the basis that the stadium would be used for activities (consumption of alcohol and advertising) which may be opposed to the principles of Buddhism.