Dambulla Thunders’ ex-owner gets suspended sentence for LPL match-fixing, fined Rs. 24M

The former owner of the ‘Dambulla Thunders’ franchise, Tamim Rahman, who pleaded guilty to influencing a cricketer participating in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2024 to engage in match-fixing, was fined and given a suspended prison sentence today (28).

Accordingly, the Colombo High Court imposed a fine of Rs. 24 million on the accused, who was sentenced to four years rigorous imprisonment, with the sentence suspended for 5 years. 

Rahman, a Bangladeshi national with British citizenship, was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake on May 22, 2024, by officers of the Sports Ministry’s Special Investigations Unit in relation to allegations of match-fixing.

He was served indictments before the Colombo High Court in November last year, under the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports Act, for influencing a cricketer who participated in the 2024 LPL tournament to engage in match-fixing. He had later pleaded guilty to the charges and was out on bail.

When the case was previously taken up for hearing before Colombo High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga, President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, who appeared for the defendant, informed the court that his client was prepared to conclude the case expeditiously and had submitted the facts to the Attorney General in this regard.

Accordingly, when this case was taken up today, the defendant informed the court that he would plead guilty to the relevant charges. Accordingly, the judge imposed the aforementioned sentence on him.