Mcelwa Nchabeleng
Mcelwa Nchabeleng
City Pillars' chief executive Peter Koutroulis and the team's head coach Jacob Sakala will spend three more days behind bars.
Koutroulis and Sakala appeared in the Polokwane magistrates' court with match official Solomon Molamudi yesterday. Their case was postponed to Friday for a formal bail application and to allow the state time to verify their addresses.
Prosecutor Benny Molepo said: "We need to confirm the three suspects' residential addresses and their citizenships considering that Sakala is Zambian and Koutroulis is Greek. We'll also double-check with the Department of Home Affairs."
The three were arrested on Sunday after Koutroulis and Sakala had allegedly given the referee in the Pillars versus OR Tambo District Cosmos match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Sunday R1000 of the R4000 that had been agreed on at the Holiday Inn in Polokwane before the match.
The incident allegedly took place directly after the match.
Molamudi, who also officiates in the National First Division, is said to have been the link between Pillars' officials and the match officials.
The defence team came down harshly on Molepo when he argued for the postponement of the case because another suspect had not yet been arrested.
Advocate Tumi Mokoena, who represented Molamudi, said: "This is not an issue here and it is the police's duty to arrest the fourth suspect. What has that got to do with the postponement?
"I'm baffled by the fact that the police are still to confirm the address of my client, who stays in Lebowakgomo, which is not far from Polokwane.
"Other suspects stay in Johannesburg and Mokopane and police could have easily phoned police stations which are closer to their areas to confirm their addresses.
"The prosecutors' argument about the arrest of the fourth suspect is the weakest I have ever heard," Mokoena said.
State delays R1000 match fixing case
Mcelwa Nchabeleng
Mcelwa Nchabeleng
City Pillars' chief executive Peter Koutroulis and the team's head coach Jacob Sakala will spend three more days behind bars.
Koutroulis and Sakala appeared in the Polokwane magistrates' court with match official Solomon Molamudi yesterday. Their case was postponed to Friday for a formal bail application and to allow the state time to verify their addresses.
Prosecutor Benny Molepo said: "We need to confirm the three suspects' residential addresses and their citizenships considering that Sakala is Zambian and Koutroulis is Greek. We'll also double-check with the Department of Home Affairs."
The three were arrested on Sunday after Koutroulis and Sakala had allegedly given the referee in the Pillars versus OR Tambo District Cosmos match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Sunday R1000 of the R4000 that had been agreed on at the Holiday Inn in Polokwane before the match.
The incident allegedly took place directly after the match.
Molamudi, who also officiates in the National First Division, is said to have been the link between Pillars' officials and the match officials.
The defence team came down harshly on Molepo when he argued for the postponement of the case because another suspect had not yet been arrested.
Advocate Tumi Mokoena, who represented Molamudi, said: "This is not an issue here and it is the police's duty to arrest the fourth suspect. What has that got to do with the postponement?
"I'm baffled by the fact that the police are still to confirm the address of my client, who stays in Lebowakgomo, which is not far from Polokwane.
"Other suspects stay in Johannesburg and Mokopane and police could have easily phoned police stations which are closer to their areas to confirm their addresses.
"The prosecutors' argument about the arrest of the fourth suspect is the weakest I have ever heard," Mokoena said.