The Anti-Corruption Tribunal of the Bangladesh Cricket Board is unlikely to deliver its full verdict on the Bangladesh Premier League’s match-fixing scandal in May, the Tribunal chief told New Age on Saturday. The Tribunal on February 26 acquitted six players and officials of match-fixing related offences but did not announce any punishment for the three players including former national captain Mohammad Ashraful, who had pleaded guilty.
The Tribunal was waiting for a new submission from the prosecution after a technical issue was raised regarding some allegations involving England’s Friends Life Twenty20 tournament.
The charges against Dhaka Gladiators owners – Salim Chowdhury and Shihab Chowdhury – also include soliciting English cricketers Darren Stevens and Joshua Cobb, coach Ian Pont and agent Eddie Tolchard to help fix Friends Life T20 matches.
The submission was made on April 17 and the Tribunal members said they will need two weeks from the date of submission to complete the hearing and announce the verdict.
However, Tribunal chief Justice Khademul Islam Chowdhury said they are yet to complete the hearing.
‘We have still some hearing to complete,’ Justice Khademul told New Age on Saturday. ‘Taking everything into consideration I don’t think it will be possible to announce the full verdict this month.’
BCB sources confirmed that the unexpected delay occurred due to the absence of one of the Tribunal members, senior lawyer Ajmalul Islam QC, who is in the UK on a personal visit.
Ajmalul is expected to return today and the BCB sources expect the Tribunal to resume the hearing immediately.
The ICC on August 13 charged nine individuals for their part in match-fixing in the second edition of the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 competition.
New Zealand cricket Lou Vincent was later implicated in the case. Vincent, Ashraful and Sri Lankan Kaushal Lokuarachchi are three cricketers to have pleaded guilty.
-With New Age input
