Three former South African cricketers—Ethy Mbhalati, Thami Tsolekile, and Lonwabo Tsotsobe—have been arrested by the Hawks for their involvement in a match-fixing scheme during the 2015/2016 domestic T20 Ram Slam Challenge.
In a statement on Friday, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), known as the Hawks, confirmed the arrests.
Tsotsobe was taken into custody on Friday, Tsolekile on Thursday, and Mbhalati, who never represented South Africa internationally, was arrested earlier on November 18.
“The arrests come after a meticulous investigation by the Serious Corruption Investigation component of the DPCI, following allegations reported by a whistleblower in October 2016,” stated the Hawks.
Mbhalati has already appeared before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, with the case postponed to February 20, 2025, for further instructions.
“Tsolekile and Tsotsobe were both charged with five counts of corruption under Section 15 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004 (PRECCA),” the statement added.
The two appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on November 29, 2024, with their case adjourned to February 26, 2025, for disclosure.
The scandal, which surfaced around eight years ago, was initially reported by Cricket South Africa‘s (CSA) Anti-Corruption Officer. Investigations revealed that former Proteas player Gulam Bodi had approached several players to fix three T20 Ram Slam matches in collaboration with Indian bookmakers. Bodi was arrested in July 2018, pleaded guilty to eight counts of corruption, and received a five-year prison sentence in October 2019.
Another implicated player, former Lions batter Jean Symes, was arrested in May 2021, pleaded guilty to one count of corruption, and received a four-year sentence, suspended for five years.
Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, National Head of the DPCI, commended his team’s efforts, stating, “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 co-operation and commitment to addressing this scourge.”
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
