Former Proteas cricketer convicted in T20 match-fixing scandal
Former Proteas, Lions and Titans player Gulam Bodi was the first to be convicted and sentenced.
A 43-year-old former Proteas cricketer has been convicted on a charge of corruption linked to the 2015–2016 T20 Ram Slam match-fixing scandal.
Ntateko Ethy Mbhlati appeared before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crime Court this week, where he was found guilty of match fixing and sentenced.
This brings to four the number of former players who have been convicted and sentenced in relation to the T20 match-fixing scandal.
Match fixing
In 2016, an anti-corruption official at Cricket South Africa (CSA) received information about allegations of match fixing by a former player.
The former player approached several South African cricket players to participate in a scheme to fix three 2015 and 2016 T20 Ram Slam matches.
A preliminary investigation revealed that at least six cricket players were approached by the former player and bookmakers from India to participate in the match-fixing scheme.
On 26 October 2016, the anti-corruption unit at Cricket South Africa reported the matter to the Hawks' Serious Corruption investigation team for further investigation.
Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said that the successful investigation led to the arrest and conviction of three cricket players in 2018 and 2022.
ALSO READ: Former SA cricket players arrested for match-fixing scandal
Investigation
'On 18 November 2024, Mbhalati was arrested, and in the same month, both [Lonwabo] Tsotsobe and [Thami] Tsolekile were also apprehended. Mbhalati appeared in court on several occasions until his recent conviction.
'The court sentenced Mbhalati to five years imprisonment wholly suspended for five years on condition that he is not found guilty of the same offence during the period of suspension, ' Mogale said.
Other Proteas
Mogale said Tsotsobe and Tsolekile's cases are still ongoing, and they will make their next appearance in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on 2 October 2025.
A former Proteas, Lions and Titans player, Gulam Bodi, was the first to be convicted in this case, receiving a five-year imprisonment sentence in October 2019, after he admitted to charges of attempting to fix matches in the same series.
Bodi acted as an intermediary for international betting syndicates, approaching certain players with a view to engaging in fixing activities during the competition.
ALSO READ: Former Lions cricketer Jean Symes sentenced for match-fixing
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