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Cronje inquiry seeks truth, not 'criminals'

The inquiry into match-fixing allegations involving former South African captain Hansie Cronje aims only to find the truth and not to recommend criminal prosecutions, the head of the probe said on Monday.

"This is in no sense a criminal prosecution," Edwin King, head of the government-appointed commission of inquiry into the scandal, told reporters here.

"There is no prosecutor and there are no criminals - I do not see it at present as my function to recommend any formal criminal proceedings," King said.

King said his brief was only to establish the truth around allegations of match-fixing.

The commission, appointed last week, will start hearing evidence "sooner rather than later," King said. It has to present a preliminary report to the government by June 30.

"We have a very real sense of the urgency of the matter, the great public interest, and the necessity to get this thing started as quickly as possible.

"But if we kick off without proper preparation, we will achieve the exact opposite of what we want to achieve," he said.

The commission was announced after Cronje admitted on April 11 that he had taken 8,200 dollars from an Indian bookmaker to provide "information and forecasts" during a one-day series involving South Africa, England and Zimbabwe last year. He was immediately sacked.

It will also look into the allegation that the South African team was offered 250,000 dollars to throw a match in Bombay, India, in December 1996.

Claims by the Indian police that Cronje and teammates Herschelle Gibbs, Nicky Boje and Pieter Strydom were involved in the fixing of one-day matches during South Africa's tour of India in February and March will also be probed.

King, who retired two weeks ago as judge-president of the Western Cape province, said he hoped to conduct the inquiry in a "congenial" atmosphere. However, he would subpoena witnesses if necessary, he said.

"I'm hoping people will come forward and open up to the commission and make this almost a cleansing and healing process - but make no mistake: if I have to use firmer methods, I will," he said.

King said the jurisdiction of the commission was limited to South Africa, but he would seek cooperation from other countries and from the International Cricket Council.

Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour, also at the press briefing, said South Africa's foreign ministry would request "relevant documentation" from other countries, including recordings made by Indian police allegedly of telephonic conversations between Cronje and a London-based Indian bookmaker.