OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 4.00pm.
THE South African government said it has no knowledge of any request by Indian authorities to extradite disgraced cricketer Hansie Cronje on match-fixing charges, a government spokesman says.
”Neither the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma nor the High Commissioner to India Maite Mashabane is aware of any formal request by Indian authorities for Hansie Cronje’s extradition at this stage,” said Ronnie Mamoepa, Dlamini-Zuma’s spokesman.
The Press Trust of India quoted Indian Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa as saying that Indian authorities have contacted the South African government to extradite Cronje.
Cronje was sacked as South African captain after admitting to taking money from bookmakers.
He testfied last week at a South African government inquiry into alleged match-fixing that he had accepted nearly $100000 over four years.
In return for a coming clean to the inquiry Cronje was offered immunity from prosecution in South Africa.
The scandal came to light when Indian police uncovered an alleged match-fixing conspiracy involving South African cricketers. — Reuters