NEWS
SCHEDULES
COLUMNS
PREVIOUS TOURS
OTHER SPORTS
STATISTICS
INTERVIEWS
SLIDE SHOW
ARCHIVES

Cassim's June 26 testimony

MR CASSIM: Correct.

MR WITZ: Now when he told you that he wanted to be introduced to, in particular, the captain of the South African team, Mr Cronjé, did any alarm bells ring? Did you think anything was wrong with this especially in view of the fact that he told you that he was interested in gambling so-to-speak in respect of the game of cricket?

MR CASSIM: No alarm bells rang at that point of time.

MR WITZ: Is it correct that you eventually landed up at the Beverley Hills Hotel in Umhlanga Rocks and you eventually met with Mr Sanjay and Mr Cronjé? As I understand the position Mr Cronjé came to Sanjay's room after you had phoned him to come to the room.

MR CASSIM: Correct.

MR WITZ: Now in respect of your airfare to Durban and return, because it's common cause that you returned back to Johannesburg that same evening, who paid for your airfare?

MR CASSIM: I paid for my airfare via my credit card, and Sanjay reimbursed me.

MR WITZ: Did he give you the money in cash in order to put back into your credit card to cover the cost of the aeroplane ticket?

MR CASSIM: Correct.

MR WITZ: You made various phone calls, as I understand from the list that's been supplied, and also what you've told the Commission, to Mr Cronjé when you got to Durban, and as I understand the position he told you that they were practising at the nets at Kingsmead and he would see you later that afternoon, half past five, six, when they came back from training. Is that what happened?

MR CASSIM: That's correct.

MR WITZ: Now I'd like you to very, very briefly in this regard, just tell the Commissioner how this came about, this meeting between the captain of the South African cricket team, Mr Hansie Cronjé, and Sanjay. How did this happen? And what happened there in Durban that you yourself witnessed?

MR CASSIM: Mr Cronjé agreed to this and came down to Sanjay's room where I introduced him to Sanjay. In Sanjay's room I had previously been watching a provincial game of cricket which was being shown on the television. Sanjay wanted to meet Hansie, which I said I will arrange and they were talking about cricket generally. I never actually, it never bothered me what they were talking about, because there was a cricket match on and they were talking of scores, match forecasting and that and so forth.

MR WITZ: Now Mr Cassim I think this is of some importance to the Commission. I would like you to deal in particular with paragraph 8.18. What did you ...(intervention)

COMMISSIONER: Sorry, I am missing page 14 of the statement. Can somebody supply me with a copy please?

MR WITZ: Sorry Mr Commissioner I gave it to Adv Batohi, I think they've misplaced it. If they can hand it up to you. They made some copies. Mr Commissioner it should read page 14 and it should start at the top paragraph 8.17, that is the page, and I think it's probably the most important page of the statement, or one of the most important pages.

COMMISSIONER: I knew that, that's why I asked for it Mr Witz. Carry on.

MR WITZ: Now Mr Cassim, dealing in particular with the contents of page 14, I'd like you to tell the Court very, very briefly in your own words, you were watching this provincial game. At your request Mr Cronjé came to Sanjay's room, which was in the Umhlanga Rocks, the Beverley Hills Hotel, what transpired there? What were they discussing and what took place that you yourself heard and saw, if you can tell the Commissioner please?

MR CASSIM: What I heard that day and what transpired was they were talking about cricket regarding scores, pitches, players. I wasn't very much interested because after I introduced Sanjay to Hansie ag I thought they were just discussing a few things and Hansie was telling him about how the pitches are here in South Africa, and what the size of the grounds, how big it is, and what scores they probably can get and that.

MR WITZ: And as I understand further from you what you set out in paragraph 8.18, they spoke in essence, between the two of them, about match forecasting, pitch conditions and also team selection and conditions upon who won the toss. In other words who batted first and who batted second. And I think this related in particular, as I understand from you in regard to the One-day games, that this was of more importance. Would that be correct?

MR CASSIM: Correct.

MR WITZ: And you told the Commissioner that they were also discussing the number of runs in the One-day games and you also heard them talking about team selection; who would be batting; which order; and who would be bowling. And this related in particular to the One-day games. Would that be correct?

MR CASSIM: Correct.

MR WITZ: After this initial meeting you expressed the position that in regards to your own personal position you couldn't stay the evening in Durban, that you'd have to go back to Johannesburg, and on leaving, as I understand the position, Sanjay gave you his phone numbers and told you that whenever you came to London if and when you could be his guest and he would reciprocate with the same hospitality that you had shown him. You don't have to read his numbers into the record. They are before the Commission. Is that what happened?

MR CASSIM: That's correct.

MR WITZ: I'd like you to tell the Commission in regard to this conversation that took place between Mr Cronjé and Sanjay in the room, what did you yourself see in regard to certain monies that were handed by Sanjay to Mr Cronjé, what did you see take place in that room?

MR CASSIM: What I saw what took place in that room was Sanjay took an envelope out and gave it - he took it out from his safe and he gave it to Mr Cronjé. When he gave Mr Cronjé that envelope Mr Cronjé took that envelope and, I must be very, very honest, I was surprised that Mr Cronjé took this envelope. And he said "keep this and I will talk to you at a later stage".

MR WITZ: Now when you talk about the safe, are these what they call the mini-safes that you find in most of the better establishments, better hotels, those mini-safes where people keep their valuables in their own room? Is that the type of safe you are talking about?

MR CASSIM: Correct.

Click here for more....