ICC suspends Lokuhettige, charges him of breaching ICC Anticorruption Code

Dubai: Former Sri Lanka player Dilhara Lokuhettige was on Thursday provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after being charged with fixing and failure to disclose corrupt approaches in an ongoing probe.

Lokuhettige, a former medium pacer who played nine ODIs and two Twenty20 Internationals for Sri Lanka, has been charged with three counts of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and given 14 days to respond.

These new allegations are in addition to similar charges brought against him on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board last year during his stint with a T10 league in the UAE.

"That provisional suspension remains in full force and effect and he has additionally been provisionally suspended under the ICC Code pending the determination of these new charges," the ICC said in a statement.

Lokuhettige's suspension continued ICC's anti-corruption drive in Sri Lanka Cricket in which has even embroiled 1996 World Cup-winning batting legend Sanath Jayasuriya, who was banned for two years after admitting to destruction of evidence during the ongoing investigations.

The 38-year-old Lokuhettige has been charged with the following three offences under the Code:

Article 2.1.1 – Fixing, contriving or otherwise influencing improperly, or being a party to any agreement or effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any International 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 by him to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code.

Lokuhettige has 14 days starting the Wednesday gone by to respond to the new charges.

"The ICC will not make any further comment in respect of these charges at this stage," the world body said.

On Wednesday, the ICC said it would be working in close cooperation with the Interpol to widen the scope of its fight against corruptors in the sport all across the world.