In a major development, former South African cricketers Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Thamsanqa Tsolekile, and Ethy Mbhalati were arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) over their involvement in a match-fixing scandal linked to the 2015/2016 T20 Ram Slam Challenge. The arrests came after an extensive investigation triggered by a whistleblower’s report, leading to criminal charges against the three players.
This latest arrest follows a similar scandal from 2018, when former cricketer Gulam Bodi was found guilty of match-fixing during the T20 Ram Slam tournament. Bodi was arrested after being implicated in a plot to manipulate multiple matches, involving contacts with Indian bookies. He was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to eight corruption charges.
In the latest investigation, Tsotsobe, Tsolekile, and Mbhalati were all arrested on corruption charges in November. Mbhalati appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, with his case postponed until February 20, 2025, to allow further investigation. Tsotsobe and Tsolekile, facing five counts of corruption, will also have their cases postponed until February 26, 2025. All three players are charged under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (PRECCA) of 2004.
Previously, Jean Symes and Pumi Matshikwe were also implicated in the same match-fixing scandal. Symes was arrested in 2021, where he pleaded guilty and served a four-year prison sentence. Similarly, Matshikwe was sentenced to six years behind bars for similar corruption-related charges. Consequently, the scandal has rocked South African cricket, as authorities continue to crack down on corruption in the sport.
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