In a development that is likely to have ramifications for far and long for cricket, the jury that heard the spot-fixing trial on Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif has found the duo guilty. The now defunct News of the World tabloid had carried out the sting that implicated Asif, Butt and Mohammad Aamer a little over a year ago.
Salman Butt was found guilty of cheating and of accepting money and Mohammad Asif has been found guilty of conspiracy to cheat. Butt faces a possible 7 years in prison after the verdict. The sentencing for both Butt and Asif is expected on Thursday, 3rd November 2011.
The decision is a landmark one in many ways, not least because this is the first time that cricketers have been convicted by a court of law for on-field corruption. The jury didn't return an unanimous verdict on all counts, but reached a majority one in most counts after deliberating for 16 hours. According to television reports, the jury was also of the opinion that 'Salman Butt had lied throughout the trial'.
Butt and Asif sat stone-faced throughout the verdict, but appeared shaken when leaving the court-room. Butt was found guilty by a majority of 10-2 on the count of accepting corrupt payments. Both Butt and Asif were found guilty of a conspiracy to cheat by unanimous margins. The jury had not yet reached a verdict against Asif on the count of conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, and was expected to deliberate further.
In an ironical twist, the verdict was reached on the day that Salman Butt was to become a father for the second time and was waiting for his wife to give birth to a baby boy. Butt already has a 3 year old son.
via-- Cricbuzz
In a development that is likely to have ramifications for far and long for cricket, the jury that heard the spot-fixing trial on Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif has found the duo guilty. The now defunct News of the World tabloid had carried out the sting that implicated Asif, Butt and Mohammad Aamer a little over a year ago. Salman Butt was found guilty of cheating and of accepting money and Mohammad Asif has been found guilty of conspiracy to cheat. Butt faces a possible 7 years in prison after the verdict. The sentencing for both Butt and Asif is expected on Thursday, 3rd November 2011. The decision is a landmark one in many ways, not least because this is the first time that cricketers have been convicted by a court of law for on-field corruption. The jury didn't return an unanimous verdict on all counts, but reached a majority one in most counts after deliberating for 16 hours. According to television reports, the jury was also of the opinion that 'Salman Butt had lied throughout the trial'. Butt and Asif sat stone-faced throughout the verdict, but appeared shaken when leaving the court-room. Butt was found guilty by a majority of 10-2 on the count of accepting corrupt payments. Both Butt and Asif were found guilty of a conspiracy to cheat by unanimous margins. The jury had not yet reached a verdict against Asif on the count of conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, and was expected to deliberate further. In an ironical twist, the verdict was reached on the day that Salman Butt was to become a father for the second time and was waiting for his wife to give birth to a baby boy. Butt already has a 3 year old son.
via-- Cricbuzz
