LPL 2024 Scandal: court summons team officials from Pakistan

By Bhagya Silva

Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama yesterday issued summons directing three Pakistani officials of the Dambulla Thunders cricket team to appear before the Special Unit for the Prevention of Sports Offences and give statements on November 25 regarding alleged attempts to influence matches during the 2024 Lanka Premier League (LPL).

The order follows a request by the Special Unit for the Prevention of Sports Offences to record statements from the team officials in connection with ongoing investigations into alleged match fixing involving the team owner, British citizen and Bangladeshi national Tamim Rahman.

Chief Inspector Supun Widanage, Officer-in-Charge of the Special Investigation Unit for the Prevention of Sports Offences, informed the court that it was necessary to record statements from the officials to proceed with filing charges against Tamim Rahman.

He stated that the three officials, including manager Mujeen Al Rahman, had allegedly held discussions at a Colombo city hotel to influence matches for money and that it was necessary to record statements from the officials who acted under the knowledge and direction of suspect Tamim Rahman.

The Special Unit further requested that the summons include the names and addresses of the three officials in Pakistan to ensure their compliance.

Investigations are being conducted under Sections 5, 6 and 8 of the Sports Corruption Prevention Act, and reports relating to Tamim Rahman have already been submitted to the Attorney General. The suspect is scheduled to face charges in the High Court in the coming days.

The magistrate also instructed that the progress of the investigation be reported to the court on December 5.