Sri Lankan cricketer Dhanushka Gunathilaka, who faced accusations of sexual abuse in Australia, has been acquitted of those charges. The 32-year-old cricketer was cleared of the allegations by Judge Sarah Haggett in Sydney’s Downing Center District Court.
The case was filed against Gunathilaka by a woman he met through a social media application, who alleged sexual abuse. The trial concluded on the 21st of the month.
Judge Haggett stated, “The evidence establishes that the accused did not have an opportunity to remove the condom during intercourse as the intercourse between the two was ongoing.” She further noted that the victim did not intentionally provide false evidence but may have testified against the cricketer in a manner that disadvantaged him.
The incident occurred in November 2022, and due to his arrest, Dhanushka Gunathilaka was unable to return to Sri Lanka. While he was granted bail during the trial in Australia, he was unable to participate in international cricket or return to Sri Lanka.
