South African trio arrested over corruption charges faced by them in 2015-16 for making an attempt to fix games.
South African trio of Tsotsobe, Tsolekile and Mbhalati arrested and charged with corruption.
Under Section 15 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004, former Titans bowler Ethy Mbhalati, former South Africa cricket players Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Thami Tsolekile, have been detained and charged with five charges of corruption.
They have been charged under section 15 of the Act, which deals with corrupt practices related to athletic events, such as accepting or threatening to accept payment from someone else for participating in any activity that could compromise the fairness of a sporting event or affect how play is conducted.
The accusations stem from the Ram Slam Challenge match-fixing scandal of 2015–16. In 2016 and 2017, Cricket South Africa suspended seven players for their involvement in match-fixing efforts during the local T20 tournament, including these three.
Jean Symes and Pumi Matshikwe were given suspended sentences after entering guilty pleas in 2021 and 2022, respectively, while Gulam Bodi has already completed his prison term. Tsotsobe, Tsolekile, and Mbhalati’s cases have been put on hold until February 2025.
There are no details on any action against the seventh player, Alviro Petersen.
The accusations were brought after an investigation by the Hawks, also known as the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), a special division of the South African Police Service that looks into economic and organised crime.
“Corruption undermines the integrity of sport. 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.” Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, National Head of the DPCI, said in a statement issued by him on Friday.