The Woman Accompanying Dhanushka to Court is NOT his lawyer!
While the case against cricketer Dhanushka Gunathilake for alleged sexual assault in Australia drew much attention, there was a lot of curiosity on social media about the young woman who accompanied the cricketer as well. We decided to investigate the accuracy of viral claims suggesting that the woman might be Dhanushka's legal representative.
Social Media Post:
Social media was rife with posts speculating that the young woman by Danushka Gunathilaka's side could potentially be his legal counsel.
Facebook | Archived Link Facebook | Archived Link
Fact Check :
Initially, our priority was to ascertain the true identity of Mr Gunathilaka’s legal representative team.
Senior Counsel Murugan Thangaraj is the lead defense lawyer for cricketer Dhanushka Gunathilake, as confirmed by Sri Lanka Cricket's Media Manager, Mr. Prasanna Rodrigu, as well. Gabrielle Steedman is the State Prosecutor in the case. You can read more about it in the news articles linked here and here.
Numerous Australian websites, including The Australian news website, speculated that the young woman seen holding hands with Dhanushka could potentially be his present girlfriend.
The Australian | Archived Link
Furthermore, Sleuthing Together, a Facebook page dedicated to covering high-profile trials worldwide, mentioned that the woman presumed to be Dhanushka's current girlfriend, accompanying him during the proceedings does not have a legal background and is neither a law student nor a practicing lawyer.
Trial of Dhanushka Gunathilaka
In the backdrop of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, Dhanushka faced allegations of sexual assault against an Australian woman whom he met on Tinder, a dating app that connects people based on shared interests. The trial spanned several days and concluded on September 21st in Sydney's Downing Center District Court.
Handing down the verdict on 28 September, Judge Sarah Huggett acquitted the Sri Lankan cricketer, stating, "The evidence establishes that there was no opportunity for the accused to remove the condom during intercourse because that intercourse was continuous,"
Also this Story In Sinhala : ධනුෂ්ක ගුණතිලකගේ නීතිඥවරිය ලෙස කටයුතු කරන්නේ ඔහුගේ වර්තමාන පෙම්වතිය ද?
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Conclusion:
Our investigation reveals that the social media posts speculating that the young woman accompanying Dhanushka Gunathilake during the recent trial to be his lawyer are false. The woman is believed to be Dhanushka Gunathilake's current girlfriend; however, she is not associated with the legal profession. The legal representation for Dhanushka Gunathilake is being handled by Senior Defense Counsel Murugan Thangaraj.
Title:The woman seen in viral photos accompanying Dhanushka is not his lawyer
Written By: Pavithra Sandamali
Result: False
