Former Sri Lanka all-rounder, Dilhara Lokuhettige has been found guilty of three offenses under the ICC anti-corruption code. ICC released a media-release on January 28 and stated Lokuhettige remains suspended and sanctions will follow in due course.
Lokuhettige made his one-day international debut for Sri Lanka in 2005 against India. Over the next eight years, the all-rounder featured in nine ODIs and two T20 Internationals for the Island nation. His last game for Sri Lanka was in 2016.
Two years later, he along with his team-coach Tharindu Mendis and teammate Jeevantha Kulatunga, were suspended by Sri Lanka Cricket after trio was spotted in conversation with book-makers in Al Jazeera’s scandalous documentary on cricket corruption.
Last year, the governing body alleged multiple charges related to corruption in sport against the 40-year-old cricketer. Following a hearing, Lokuhettige was found to have committed the misdemeanors and his punishment will be handed down in due course.
According to the ICC, Lokuhettige has been found guilty of the following charges:
Article 2.1.1 – for being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly the result, progress, conduct, or other aspect(s) of a match.
Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.
Article 2.4.4 – Failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code.
Apart from these charges, Lokuhettige has also been charged on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) with breaches such as fixing, introducing a teammate to the bookie, and not disclosing about appropriate approaches. The Sri Lankan broke ECB’s Anti-Corruption Code in the 2018 season of T10 League and EBC’s proceedings still are ongoing.