MP Hesha Withanage has backed his allegations against Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) by presenting an Executive Committee meeting minute in Parliament, where he claimed that payments to suspended Police Chief Deshabandu Tennakoon were approved.
According to the document, the SLC Executive Committee had appointed Tennakoon, then Senior Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Western Province, as an Advisor to the Security Consultant of Sri Lanka Cricket.
The contract, effective from August 16, 2021, included a monthly allowance of Rs. 150,000, 200 liters of fuel per month, a Rs. 5,000 mobile allowance, a laptop, a mobile phone, and medical insurance, MP Withanage told Parliament.
MP Withanage tabled the document in Parliament in response to SLC’s recent denial of his claims. The cricket board had previously dismissed allegations that Tennakoon was paid or provided with perks, calling them baseless and false.
MP Withanage criticized the government, stating it had no intention of preventing the accused group from contesting the upcoming SLC election on March 31. He also accused the current sports minister of supporting a corrupt faction within SLC and announced plans to take legal action over the matter.
“This denial by SLC is irrelevant,” Withanage said. “We have a copy of the report approved by the Executive Committee.”
SLC, in its earlier statement, maintained that it only engages with security personnel as part of its commitment to ensuring safety during international cricket events and refuted any payments or appointments involving Tennakoon. (Newswire)
