Sumathipala discharged by court

A Colombo Magistrate's Court discharged Thilanga Sumathipala, the embattled president of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), on Monday. The judge ruled that the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had not unearthed sufficient evidence to prosecute him for his alleged involvement with an underworld gangster.

Sumathipala, who appeared in public for the first time in 10 days on Monday night, has been accused by a Sunday newspaper of helping a suspected mafia figure, Dhammika Amarasinghe, travel to the UK in 1999 to watch the World Cup.

Sumathipala was alleged to have used board funds to finance the trip and also help Amarasinghe obtain a British visa on a fraudulent passport. The newspaper had also accused Sumathipala of plotting the assassination of their editor.

But, after a week of legal wrangling, Sumathipala won a discharge as a magistrate's judge ruled that the CID had produced insufficient evidence to justify his arrest. Discharging Sumathipala, the judge told the CID to refer the matter to court again if any new evidence - namely the alleged fraudulent passport and embarkation documents - were obtained.

Sumathipala immediately organised a press conference at the cricket board headquarters and launched into an offensive against his accusers: "This organised mud slinging has been launched to coincide with the England cricket team's visit. It has caused irreparable damage to Sri Lankan cricket and my name has been tarnished", he told reporters.

"A Sunday paper repeatedly attacked me causing immense personal and mental anguish to me and my family," he said, adding, "They tried to connect me with underworld, to which I had no ties."

"Ten days ago the CID was ordered to arrest me, so I went to the Supreme Court and filed a Fundamental Rights application. The Attorney General appeared on behalf of the CID and said they had not given an order to arrest me. But the next day the Magistrate's Court ordered my arrest if there was evidence. But the judge, after going through the case, said there was not enough evidence to frame any charges," he said.

Again, on Friday, the AG ordered his arrest. Sumathipala's legal team was forced to take further action on Monday morning. They appeared on Monday, convening a Magistrate's Court despite a Poya day holiday, and once again won a favourable judgement. "There was no evidence linking me to the underworld," Sumathipala declared.

Sumathipala requested extra personal security from the government, claiming that the scandal had put his life in danger: "I still receive threats on my mobile phone. I think the government should consider a high-level inquiry into this matter and I hope to discuss this matter with the IGP and others."