[imagesource:paktribune]

Three former South African cricketers have been arrested for a match-fixing scheme linked to the 2015/2016 T20 Ram Slam Challenge.

Ethy Mbhalati (43), Thami Tsolekile (44), and Lonwabo Tsotsobe (40) were arrested separately earlier this month following the Hawks’ investigation into claims made by a whistleblower in October 2016.

Colonel Katlego Mogale, the Hawks’ spokeswoman, said that Mbhalati had previously appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. The case has been postponed till February 20, 2025.

The inquiry into match-fixing accusations began in 2016 when Cricket South Africa’s anti-corruption officer flagged suspicious activities regarding former Proteas player Gulam Bodi. Investigations revealed that Bodi, in collaboration with Indian bookmakers, approached multiple players to influence the outcome of three local T20 matches.

Bodi was eventually arrested in July 2018 and pleaded guilty to eight charges of corruption, and in October 2019, he was sentenced to five years in jail.

Following allegations made by a whistleblower in October 2016, the Serious Corruption Investigation unit of the DPCI initiated an investigation into match-fixing in South African cricket.

Ethy Mbhalati has already appeared in court and the case has been postponed to February 20, 2025. Thami Tsolekile and Lonwabo Tsotsobe were both charged with five counts of corruption under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.

They appeared in court on November 29th and the case was adjourned to February 26, 2025, for further disclosure.

Meanwhile, the ex-left-arm pacer Tsotsobe, featured in 5 Tests, 61 ODIs, and 23 T20Is for South Africa. He last played for the Proteas at the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in 2014, where South Africa made it to the semifinal.

Hawks head Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya commended the investigation team for their efforts in addressing corruption in sport.

“Corruption undermines the integrity of sport, and the Hawks are determined to safeguard the values of fairness and professionalism in all areas of society. We thank Cricket South Africa for their cooperation and commitment to addressing this scourge.”

Colonel Mogale confirmed the seriousness of the allegations, adding: “The arrests highlight our dedication to rooting out corruption and ensuring accountability within the sport.”

[source:sportstak]