Cricketer to be charged with rape named as Ntini (14 January 1999)

14 January 1999

Cricketer to be charged with rape named as Ntini

AFP

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 14 (AFP) - Newspapers here Thursday named fast bowler Makhaya Ntini as the South African cricketer who is to be charged for allegedly raping a 21-year-old student at a cricket ground in December.

On Wednesday, senior prosecutor Les Roberts announced his intention to prosecute the cricketer, but did not name him.

Roberts said in a statement he had deliberated for a month over a decision on whether to prosecute the player following a police investigation into the incident, which allegedly took place on December 1 at Buffalo Park cricket ground in the Eastern Cape town of East London.

Buffalo Park is the home of the Border cricket team, of which Ntini is a member.

Ntini originates from Mdingi, near King William's Town, and was spotted by Border development programme staff when they held a mini-cricket clinic in the township in 1993. The same year he was selected for the Border U-15 team.

He advanced to the Border U-19 squad in 1994-95 and in 1995 was selected for the South African Schools XI on their tour of England and India. He made his debut for Border against England in their 1995-96 tour.

He was later selected for the South African A team and his big break came when he replaced injured Boland player Roger Telemachus on South Africa's tour of Australia in 1997/98.

He was selected to represent South Africa on their tour of England last summer. A loss of form has seen him excluded from the South African team that has destroyed the West Indies during their current tour of South Africa, winning four of the four Test matches played so far.

Police said Wednesday a warrant of arrest is to be issued this week for the cricketer, whom they also did not name.

Neither Ntini nor his lawyer have been contactable.

According to East London's Daily Dispatch newspaper, one of the publications to name Ntini, the cricketer has not been at home.

A message on his cell phone says: "Hello, hello, sorry man, I can't hear you properly. Leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as possible, cheers."

United Cricket Board managing director Ali Bacher, who has backed the player publicly, has not immediately commented.

Border cricket general manager Reunert Bauser said: "We have no comment at the moment. His lawyer is handling the whole affair."

Source :: AFP