3 South African Cricketers Arrested on Corruption Charges

Former South African cricketers Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Thami Tsolekile, and Ethy Mbhalati have been arrested by the police on charges of corruption. They are accused under five counts of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Code, Section 15, 2004.

The allegations against the trio are related to match-fixing and corruption activities. These charges are connected to the match-fixing scandal that surfaced during the 2015-16 Ram Slam Challenge.

These three players are among seven cricketers who were banned by Cricket South Africa in 2016 and 2017 for their involvement in match-fixing attempts during the country’s domestic T20 tournament.

Among the seven, Gulam Bodi has already served his sentence in prison. Jean Symes and Pumelela Matshikwe confessed to their crimes in 2021 and 2012, respectively, leading to suspended sentences. Meanwhile, the bans on Tsotsobe, Tsolekile, and Mbhalati are suspended until February 2025. The status of the seventh player, Alviro Petersen, remains unknown.

The charges against these three players were brought forward following an investigation by South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks. Speaking on Friday, DPCI National Head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya said:
“Corruption undermines the integrity of sports, and the DPCI is committed to upholding values of fairness and professionalism across all sectors of society. We thank Cricket South Africa for their cooperation and commitment.”