Cronje offered immunity as Prabhakar stays in the news

The King Commission in Cape Town, inquiring into the match-fixing allegations in South Africa, may have hogged the news headlines for almost the whole of this week but the Indian connection with the scandal seems to be never ending.

In a surprise move on Saturday, the South African Government announced that in a goodwill gesture, it will offer immunity to the disgraced former South African captain Hansie Cronje. In a move which may set a precedent to other countries, the government said it will offer immunity from criminal prosecution in South Africa if Cronje makes a full disclosure of his involvement in match-fixing. The other players Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams who confessed earlier on Friday were also offered immunity before their testimony.

Sipho Ngwema, spokesman for the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions, said the aim was to expose those who were involved and end the match-fixing controversy. Ngwema said "The condition is that Judge Edwin King must be happy that the testimonies (of the three) were frank and honest and that they participated with the commission fully."

Even as the immunity offer was made by the government, Ali Bacher managing director of the UCBSA said the players could still face action from the board if they have contravened the codes of conduct of the UCBSA and the International Cricket Council. Cronje's legal advisers were considering the offer made by the government.

Earlier, Gibbs said he is willing to face trial on corruption charges against him in India.

On Friday, all eyes were on the four players who testified before the King Commission - Herschelle Gibbs, Pieter Strydom, Nicky Boje and Henry Williams. Three of them, Gibbs, Williams and Strydom, accepted that they were indeed offered a bribe by Cronje to under perform in different matches, contradicting the former South African captain's statement that he never approached players to under perform. Boje however denied the allegations. Their evidence could well be the final nail in the coffin for Cronje.

Boje denied he was ever approached by Cronje. He said he was "quite shocked" and could not explain how his name was dragged into the allegations. Boje added he has respect for the former captain and said "He's a close friend. I'm a Christian and I forgive him for what he has done and for mentioning my name." When Boje was asked whether he asked Cronje about linking his name in the controversy, he said "I did ask him what was going on. I didn't ask him why my name was mentioned."

While the focus was on the inquiry commission in Cape Town, Manoj Prabhakar stayed in the limelight in India. Talking to a news agency, Prabhakar said he received a series of threats before naming Indian coach Kapil Dev as the player who offered him the bribe. He said "I received a number of threats before taking his name." Prabhakar replied that "After naming him (in last week of May) and releasing the cassette, I have not received any threat." When asked whether he was still receiving threats, he said he did receive a threat from an unknown man at a traffic light after his interview to tehelka.com.

Meanwhile, continuing its investigations into the dealings of the Apace group of companies and in particular against Manoj Prabhakar, Outlook magazine says that incontrovertible evidence unearthed by the magazine's reporters prove Prabhakar's involvement in allegedly cheating investors to the tune of Rs 50 crore.

In an article, slated for publication in its June 19 issue, Outlook says that contrary to Prabhakar's repeated denials that he is in no way involved with Apace, there is damning evidence which has surfaced which proves that the former Indian all rounder was not only a director of the company, but also the authorised signatory of Nidhi and Finance Ltd, an associate company of the Apace group. Outlook says it has in its possession copies of fixed deposit certificates issued by Nidhi and Finance Ltd which have been allegedly signed by Prabhakar.

Eye witness accounts have revealed that Prabhakar addressed public meetings at various places in Nainital district to attract investors to the Apace group. Banners and posters announcing that Prabhakar, as a director of the Apace group would sign fixed deposit receipts, were put up in Haldwani and Indore in Madhya Pradesh. Outlook says it has in its possession Prabhakar's signed statements issued in his capacity as managing director to the employees of the Apace group in 1997. Another cricketer seen at the functions of the Apace group in the company of Prabhakar was Ajay Sharma who is currently being investigated in the match fixing scandal.

The victims of the alleged fraud, interviewed by the magazine confessed to having deposited their money with Nidhi and Finance because it was being backed by Prabhakar. In fact, at all the meetings organised to mobilise deposits, Prabhakar played up his reputation as an international cricketer, according to the magazine.