Former South African cricketers arrested on match-fixing charges
Cape Town: Three former South African cricketers, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Thami Tsolekile, and Ethy Mbhalati, have been arrested and charged with multiple counts of corruption in connection to the 2015-16 Ram Slam T20 Challenge match-fixing scandal.
The trio faces five charges under s. 15 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004, a South African law aimed at tackling corruption. Investigations by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), commonly known as the Hawks, revealed their alleged involvement in attempting to manipulate matches in collaboration with Indian bookmakers.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has clarified that no matches were ultimately affected, as the conspirators’ plans were thwarted. However, the scandal has cast a shadow on the integrity of South African cricket.
These arrests follow the 2016-2017 bans imposed on the three cricketers, alongside four others, for their roles in the same scandal. Among them, Gulam Bodi served time in prison, while Jean Symes and Pumi Matshikwe received suspended sentences after pleading guilty in 2021 and 2022. There has been no update on possible charges against Alviro Petersen, another player implicated in the controversy.
The legal proceedings, which mark the first application of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act in sports-related corruption, have been postponed until February 2025 to allow further investigation.
Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, National Head of the Hawks, stressed the importance of safeguarding the integrity of sport, 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.”
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41 lakh illicit liquor seized, 1.84 lakh arrested in major drive: K'taka Minister tells Assembly
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Karnataka Excise Department has conducted a statewide crackdown on illegal liquor trade over the last two years, resulting in arrests and seizures of alcohol, Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur said on Tuesday.
As many as 1,09,017 people were arrested, and seizures included 13.66 lakh litres of liquor and 27.19 lakh litres of beer, he said in a written reply to a starred question by Harihar BJP MLA B P Harish in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Minister said the enforcement drive covered the financial year 2023–24, 2024–25 up to June, and 2025–26 from July to October, targeting unauthorised liquor manufacture, storage, sale and transportation across the State.
"During this period, statewide enforcement drives resulted in a total of 1,84,570 raids against illegal liquor sales,” Timmapur said.
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He noted that 9,179 non-bailable cases and 91,968 bailable and compoundable cases under Section 15(A) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, were registered during the same period.
According to him, there have been no reports indicating that students have become addicted to alcohol due to illegal liquor sales.
The sale of alcohol to minors is strictly prohibited under the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and the department has issued periodic instructions to initiate legal action against violators, with strict enforcement and investigation measures in place, the Minister said.
Excise officials are carrying out regular road and night patrols, collecting intelligence, monitoring habitual offenders and conducting raids to identify illicit distillation units, unauthorised liquor outlets and spurious liquor manufacturing centres, he said, adding the department is also enforcing the law to prevent the production, storage, sale and transport of spurious, non-duty-paid and unauthorised liquor.
Regular patrols are being conducted on national and state highways, with suspicious vehicles being subjected to checks.
At the district level, standing committee meetings are held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners, and joint operations are carried out with the police and forest departments to curb excise-related offences.
The department is also conducting awareness programmes through Gram Sabhas and in schools and colleges to educate the public and students about the physical, mental and social health hazards associated with alcohol addiction and substance abuse, Timmapur added.
