The Hambantota High Court is set to announce its stance on 4 December, on ex-Sri Lanka cricketer Sachithra Senanayake’s preliminary objections to his indictment over alleged match-fixing. 

High Court Judge Duminda Mudunkotuwa scheduled the date for the pronouncement, with the pre-trial conference also fixed on the same day.

Appearing for Senanayake, Defence Counsel Haritha Hettiarachchi raised preliminary objections, noting that the charges had been improperly framed and that the proceedings should not continue. 

Hettiarachchi stated that the indictment failed to specify the nature of the influence allegedly exerted by his client, observing that the relevant details had not been adequately stipulated in the charges. He prayed the Court to uphold the objections, terminate the proceedings and release the accused.

Opposing the objections, State Counsel Kalana Kothalawala insisted that the charges had been properly framed and that the prosecution was not required to include detailed evidence in the indictment. 

He said the relevant matters would be established through evidence submitted at the trial. Kothalawala further stressed that the objections should have been raised before the commencement of the pre-trial conference.

Emphasising that they could not be entertained after the conference had begun, he moved the Court to reject them. 

Senanayake became the first cricketer to be indicted under Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports Act, No. 24 of 2019, over allegations of match-fixing during the inaugural edition of the 2020 Lanka Premier League (LPL).