Hyderabad: Former South African cricketers Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Thami Tsolekile, and former Titans bowler Ethy Mbhalati have been arrested in connection with a match-fixing scandal that occurred during the 2015-16 Ram Slam T20 Challenge. They have been charged for five counts of corruption under Section 15 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004.
Apart from the trio, Ghulam Bodi has already served prison time, while Jean Sims and Pumi Matshikwe received suspended sentences after pleading guilty in 2021 and 2022. But there is no official information regarding potential charges against seventh player, Alviro Petersen.
[MATCH-FIXING] Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime arrested three (3) former South African cricket players, Ethy Mbhalati (43), Thamsanqa Tsolekile (44) and Lonwabo Lennox Tsotsobe (40), implicated in a match-fixing scheme during the 2015/2016 domestic T20 Ram Slam Challenge. pic.twitter.com/u6DigVl2MX
— South African Criminal Justice System (@RSA_CJS) November 29, 2024
The allegations suggest that the trio accepted or offered gratifications to manipulate matches, which undermines the integrity of sports. The investigation was conducted by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), commonly known as the Hawks, a specialized unit of the South African Police Service tasked with addressing organized and economic crimes.
The charges involve collusion with Indian bookmakers and relate to attempts to fix three matches during the domestic T20 tournament. However, Cricket South Africa (CSA) has indicated that none of the matches were ultimately impacted, as the conspirators' plans were thwarted
The Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, which was introduced after the Hansie Cronje match-fixing scandal in 2000, is being applied to athletes for the first time in this case. Proceedings for Tsotsobe, Tsolekile, and Mbhalati have been postponed until February 2025, with legal processes still ongoing.
Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, the National Head of the Hawks, emphasized the importance of safeguarding the integrity of sports and expressed gratitude to Cricket South Africa for their cooperation in addressing this issue. : "Corruption undermines the integrity of sport, and the Hawks are determined to uphold the values of fairness and professionalism in all areas of society. We thank Cricket South Africa for their cooperation and commitment to addressing this issue."
