STEVEN MANN, Cape Town | Wednesday 6.10pm.
A CONTRITE Hansie Cronje on Wednesday disclosed that more than R139000 had been deposited into his bank account in January 1997, and while he had no idea where it had come from, he thought it had been an additional payment from Indian bookmaker Mukesh Gupta.
Previously Cronje had only confessed to receiving about $100000, of which $80000 had come from Gupta for match information he had provided in 1996 and 1997.
Cronje, who on Wednesday faced cross-examination before the King Commission, at times appeared close to tears as he told of the shame he felt at having agreed to accept bribes.
Earlier Cronje’s psychiatrist Dr Ian Lewis said depite the fact that the former national cricket captain was suffering from clinical depression he was still fit to testify.
Cronje appeared to vindicate Johannesburg bookmaker Marlon Aronstam from wrongdoing, saying he had only requested pitch reports and had never tried to influence the outcome of a match.
Aronstam gave Cronje gifts of R53000 and a leather jacket.
Cronje also testified that Johannesburg businessman Hamid Cassiem had merely acted as a go-between for a London-based bookmaker called Sanjay and had never requested match information himself.
This appeared to contradict Cronje’s opening statement on Thursday, in which he said Sanjay and Cassiem had repeatedly harassed him to give information and influence matches during a tour to India earlier this year.
Cronje has admitted to taking between $10000 and $15000 from Sanjay.
His testimony indicates he hardly needed the money.
Cronje told that he had earned about R9 million in sponsorships an endorsements since 1995, in addition to his hefty salary from the United Cricket Board.
He also disclosed he has reaped about R1,4 million from his benefit year, after deductions.
The commission’s hearings continue on Thursday, when Cronje will again take the stand.