{"id":4705,"date":"2022-11-09T05:22:51","date_gmt":"2022-11-09T05:22:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/srilanka.factcrescendo.com\/english\/?p=4705"},"modified":"2022-11-11T02:54:02","modified_gmt":"2022-11-11T02:54:02","slug":"rumors-on-maxwell-visiting-dhanushka-gunathilaka-at-sydney-police-goes-viral","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/srilanka.factcrescendo.com\/english\/rumors-on-maxwell-visiting-dhanushka-gunathilaka-at-sydney-police-goes-viral\/","title":{"rendered":"Fake Rumors went viral as Maxwell visited Dhanushka in prison to offer his support!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Soon after Dhanushka Gunathilaka was arrested in Sydney Australia, over sexual assault allegations, the details of the incident have been viral in local as well as international media. Social media was also abuzz with bizarre claims linked to the incident and our investigation found the rumours of Glenn Maxwell visiting Dhanushka in jail to be yet another one of such fake rumours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the Claim?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Viral social media posts claimed that the star Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell visited Danushka Gunathilaka in jail to show his support, over the sexual assault allegations levelled against him. It was also claimed that Maxwell had tried to apologise to Dhanushka and reconcile the incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Facebook<\/a> | Archived Link<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This news was also published on a Sri Lankan website. You can read it here<\/a>. Archived Link<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Due to several requests we received regarding the accuracy of these posts, we checked the facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fact Check<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed on Sunday (November 6) that Danushka Gunathilaka had been arrested in Sydney for alleged sexual assault. On Saturday, 5 November 2022, detectives from the State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad and Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command commenced a joint investigation under Strike Force Veteran following reports that a 29-year-old woman had been sexually assaulted at a residence in Rose Bay earlier this week, NSW police said. It was also claimed that the woman had met Dhanushka via an online dating application. It’s alleged that the Sri Lankan cricketer had sexually assaulted the woman on Wednesday, 2 November 2022. Published reports on this here<\/a> and here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, no international news had reported that Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell had gone to the Sydney City Police to inquire about Danushka Gunathilaka’s well-being, and we noticed that not a single Australian mainstream media had reported on this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our attention was drawn to whether Maxwell had made such a statement through his official social media networks. Our investigation confirmed that he had not released any such note, video, or information either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, we contacted Azam Amin, a journalist from Sri Lanka who is currently staying in Australia, who went to report on the 2022 T20 World Cup cricket tournament, and he confirmed that false information is circulating on social media that Maxwell visited Dhanushka Gunathilaka in prison and such an incident did not happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current situation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

According to the police statement, Gunathilaka was taken to Sydney City Police Station and charged with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent. The Sri Lankan national was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court via AVL today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A bail application was made on Monday behind closed doors in Sydney\u2019s Downing Centre Local Court after a police prosecutor successfully requested a series of interim orders, including suppressions and an order to close the courtroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the court was closed, Mr Gunathilaka appeared wearing a grey T-shirt via audio-visual link. Such reports can be reached from here<\/a> and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defence lawyer Ananda Amaranath later said the bail application was unsuccessful and that he would take the matter to the NSW Supreme Court as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“He’ll be disappointed, clearly,” Mr Amaranath said outside court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It’s often difficult to predict outcomes of matters, and it’s not in my hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

” I always advise all my clients and equally to him. I told him the same thing: I cannot guarantee that he will be released on bail.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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