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Cassim's June 26 testimony

MR CASSIM: Telephonic contact.

MR MANCA: Did you mention - when you telephoned Mr Cronjé and I'm not restricting it to one or two telephone conversations, did any of your telephone conversations with Mr Cronjé in Dubai, when Mr Cronjé was in Dubai, did you mention to Mr Cronjé that Mr Sanjay would like to get hold of him?

MR CASSIM: I can't recall that.

MR MANCA: It's possible that you did?

MR CASSIM: Possibly.

MR MANCA: So then Mr Cronjé is obviously correct because he recollects that he did have such an approach from you whilst he was in Dubai, he says, Mr Cronjé says, that's paragraph 61 of his statement which is at page 19 - "After the 2000 Indian tour whilst in Dubai for the Sharjah Cup in March of this year, I was again contacted by Hamid. He indicated that Sanjay wanted to resume contact with me along the same lines as in India. I'd by now developed sufficient resolve and I told him I wasn't interested." So you're not in a position to deny that?

MR CASSIM: That's right.

MR MANCA: I just really want to understand your version of the events. You introduce Mr Cronjé to Mr Sanjay Chawla.

MR CASSIM: Correct.

MR MANCA: In fact you're in the room when money changes hands.

MR CASSIM: Correct.

MR MANCA: At the very least thereafter you make attempts on behalf of Mr Sanjay Chawla to get Mr Cronjé to contact Mr Chawla.

MR CASSIM: Correct.

MR MANCA: And that happens during the Indian tour, at the very least.

MR CASSIM: Correct.

MR MANCA: And you also make a similar call to Mr Cronjé when he was in Dubai for the Sharjah Cup on behalf of Mr Sanjay.

MR CASSIM: Correct.

MR MANCA: Mr Commissioner it's almost lunchtime, it would perhaps be a good time to adjourn.

COMMISSIONER: We'll reconvene at two o'clock.

COMMISSION ADJOURNS AT 13H00

ON RESUMPTION AT 14H00

HAMID CASSIM: (s.u.o.)

CROSS-EXAMINATION BY MR MANCA: (cont) Thank you Mr Commissioner. Mr Cassim I jsut want to for a moment just go off the topic that we were discussing before the luncheon adjournment and I listened with interest to your evidence and read your statement in relation to the assistance that you have provided to players from, cricket players from the sub-continent to come to South Africa for medical treatment. Would I be correct in saying that it is not uncommon for players from the sub-continent to come to South Africa from time-to-time for specialised medical treatment?

MR CASSIM: When you say uncommon what do you mean by that?

MR MANCA: It happens from time-to-time.

MR CASSIM: Correct.

MR MANCA: Yes Mr Cassim I just, in fairness to you, want you to be aware and if you like to comment on that if at some stage during this inquiry I'm going to be called upon to express a view in regard to the manner in which and the extent to which you have been forthcoming and told the truth to this Commission, I want to tell you that it will be my submission that, having regard to the objective facts that we know about and having regard to the evidence that has been led by other witnesses, in particular that of Mr Cronjé, it will be my submission that you have not been entirely forthcoming with regard to your role in the involvement of Mr Sanjay and Mr Cronjé in relation to Mr Sanjay's betting activities with Mr Cronjé. Do you have any comment on that?

MR CASSIM: Well, that's your prerogative, what you want to say.

MR WITZ: Sorry, Mr Chairman, if I might just interpose. Surely that's a matter for argument, as to what my learned friends opinion is and what he's going to submit to you. That's not a question, it hasn't been framed in the form of a question. That's going to be his argument and his submission. It's very unfair to expect a witness to answer why would one person come and say this, one person say that. And I'm going to suggest this, that and the other. It's purely a matter for argument. He's entitled to argue and make submissions at the end. Thank you.

COMMISSIONER: Yes, well that's precisely what Mr Manca has indicated. That he will make that argument, and he's giving Mr Cassim an opportunity, by way of addition to or subtraction from or variation of his evidence, to try and persuade Mr Manca not to make that submission in due course. It's a question very often put to witnesses by way of a statement, and it's an acceptable one.

MR MANCA: Yes, Mr Commissioner. That's all that I have for the moment. Thank you.

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR MANCA

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