Cronje may not be prosecuted

M Subromoney

Disgraced former South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje may not be prosecuted for his involvement in match-fixing, according to media reports.

Cronje, who admitted to having received money from bookmakers for providing information about matches and players, has not been recommended for prosecution by the King Commission of Inquiry, a private TV channel, which claimed to have a copy of the final report of the commission, said.

The Justice Edwin King Commission of Inquiry, which probed match-fixing in South African cricket, is to submit its final report to the government tomorrow.

Full details of the report were not known but the channel broadcast the recommendation relating to Cronje as its number one news item.

The channel said Cronje, who was banned for life by the United Cricket Board of South Africa following his admission of guilt, had not been informed of the commission's decision till now and would be made aware only after the report is submitted and made public tomorrow.

Cronje was facing prosecution but this will now be set aside following the commission's recommendation.

South African Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour had earlier said he would accept the recommendations of Commission if it felt that Cronje should not be prosecuted.

Mail Cricket Editor