COLOMBO, March 15: Sri Lanka spinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi on Saturday was handed a four-year suspended jail sentence for driving carelessly and killing a woman pedestrian in 2003.

Judge M.N.A Gaffoor also ordered the cricketer to pay a fine of Rs500,000 ($4,716) that would go to two charities.

Lokuarachchi, 25, pleaded guilty to killing the pedestrian and injuring her son in a late-night car crash in August 2003.

The judge said the player would not have to serve time as he was “suspending” the sentence for five years.

If the offence is repeated within the next five years, the player would be jailed for the four-year term.

The leg-spinner, who has played 21 One-day Internationals and four Tests, was banned for four months by Sri Lanka Cricket on disciplinary grounds following the car crash.—AFP

Opinion

Editorial

Lingering concerns
19 Sep, 2024

Lingering concerns

Embarrassed after failing to muster numbers during the high-stakes drama that played out all weekend, the govt will need time to regroup.
Pager explosions
Updated 19 Sep, 2024

Pager explosions

This dangerous brinkmanship is likely to drag the region — and the global economy — into a vortex of violence and instability.
Losing to China
19 Sep, 2024

Losing to China

AT a time when they should have stepped up, a sense of complacency seemed to have descended on the Pakistan hockey...
Parliament’s place
Updated 17 Sep, 2024

Parliament’s place

Efforts to restore parliament’s sanctity must rise above all political differences and legislative activities must be open to scrutiny and debate.
Afghan policy flux
Updated 18 Sep, 2024

Afghan policy flux

A fresh approach is needed, where Pakistan’s security is prioritised and decision taken to improve ties. Afghan Taliban also need to respond in kind.
HIV/AIDS outbreak
17 Sep, 2024

HIV/AIDS outbreak

MULTIPLE factors — the government’s inability to put its people first, a rickety health infrastructure, and...