Ex South African bowler Pumelela Matshikwe handed six-year prison sentence

Charges have been laid upon former South Africa A bowler Pumelela Matshikwe after being proven guilty of match-fixing in the 2015 Ram Slam T20 competition. Matshikwe is now sentenced to spend six years in prison; the term was suspended for five years.

Matshikwe, 37, has already faced a hefty ten-year ban for his participation in any cricketing activities back in 2016. 

He has now become the second player from the group of six, including Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Thami Tsolekile, Jean Symes, Ethy Mbhalatito and Gulam Bodi, charged under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities (PRECCA) Act 2014. In addition, Bodi suffered a five-year jail sentence in 2019 for eight corruption charges.

After a plea agreement with a court in Pretoria, the ex-Lions seamer was found guilty of the following violations:

1. Receiving an incentive or payment to fix, contrive, or influence improperly a match or matches in the 2015 Ram Slam tournament

2.  Making a payment which would bring the sport of cricket into disrepute

3. Failing to disclose payment to the CSA anti-corruption officer, which they knew or ought to have known, was given to them for a breach of the Code.

4. Failing to disclose details of an approach to engaging in corrupt conduct and failing to disclose full details of matters evidencing a breach of the Code by another participant.

Gauteng Hawks spokesperson Captain Lloyd Ramovha stated that the other parties involved in the fixing saga will still be convicted.

Matshikwe featured in South Africa's domestic circuit from 2007-16. He represented Gauteng, Lions and South Africa A in his almost 9-year-long stint as a professional cricketer. The pacer played 77, 57 and 24 FC, List A and T20 matches, claiming 178, 49 and 23 scalps, respectively.