ZCZC
BSP-09
SRI-RSA-CRICKET-GUNATHILAKA
Sri Lanka cricketer suspended after friend accused of hotel rape
COLOMBO, July 23, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – A Sri Lankan Test cricketer has been
suspended after a Norwegian woman accused his friend of raping her in a hotel
room where he was present, an official said Monday.
Dhanushka Gunathilaka, 27, and his friend, who cannot be named, took two
Norwegian women to the hotel where the player was staying in Colombo in the
early hours of Sunday.
One of the women later accused the second man, a British passport-holder of
Sri Lankan origin, of raping her and police arrested him.
The 26-year-old “is under arrest and we are continuing our investigations,”
a police official told AFP. “A Norwegian tourist made the complaint of rape.”
He said there was no allegation against Gunathilaka, who is currently Sri
Lanka’s best-performing batsman in an ongoing tour by South Africa.
However Sri Lanka Cricket on Sunday night suspended him on a “misconduct”
charge, although he is allowed to play in the match that is currently taking
place.
The governing body’s rules stipulate that during matches players must be
back in their hotel rooms by midnight and cannot have guests.
The cricket board will also “withheld Gunathilaka’s fee for the ongoing
Test match until the outcome of the inquiry,” it said.
BSS/AFP/MR/ 1250 hrs