King says his commission cannot get going

Paul Martin Cainer  Johannesburg

There's yet another delay to the King Commission's hearings into match- fixing in cricket. This was confirmed to rediff.com and Live Africa network news today by the Commissioner, Judge Edwin King.

The public hearings, suspended in June for inquiries to continue, had initially been expected to resume in September and conclude in October.

"I've no idea at the moment when the hearings will resume. It's in a sense beyond our control," the retired former judge-president told rediff.com from his Cape Town home.

He declined to comment on his degree of frustration.

Earlier in the weekend he had been more specific. Interviewed by a news agency, he was quoted as saying: "I would not expected us to restart until January."

King was quoted as saying that his team of investigators were waiting for information from India, including the results of a separate inquiry on the subcontinent into match-fixing.

"We are waiting for the Indian inquiry. Leaks so far from it look like it might be interesting to us," Judge King said.

He noted that his lead investigator, Shamilla Batohi, had in the meantime started another job with South Africa's elite crime-busting unit, the Scorpions.

"We are having to slot in with her timetable and that of Cronje's legal team. Then there is Christmas, so resumption this year is definitely out," Judge King was quoted as saying.

However, difficulties in getting the Indian authorities to provide the South Africans with documentary evidence or copies of tapes, allegedly made of Cronje making deals with Indian bookmakers on a cellphone during a tour this year, have led to two postponements and a continuing feeling of let-down and perhaps cover-up.

Cronje was offered immunity from prosecution if Judge King states he's satisfied the ex-captain has revealed everything he knows. An interim report by King expressed doubts on this score.

Match-Fixing - The Full Coverage

Mail Cricket Editor