Spot-fixing jury retires to deliberate verdict

Salman, Asif’s fate in spot-fixing case to be decided soon.

LONDON: The jury in the alleged spot-fixing trial that involved banned Pakistan players Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif retired to deliberate the verdict after the judge summed up proceedings yesterday.

Justice Cooke completed his summation on the 17th day of the trial and offered some guidance to the jury, comprising 12 people, which will decide the fate of the duo.

Butt and Asif face charges of conspiracy to cheat, and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, following the Lord’s Test in August last year when they allegedly conspired with agent Mazhar Majeed and teenage fast bowler Mohammad Amir and other people unknown to bowl pre-planned no-balls. Butt and Asif deny the charges.

“The only satisfactory verdict in a criminal trial is a unanimous verdict,” said the judge. “I do not want to hear anything about majority decisions at the moment.”

The judge may consider a majority verdict, though, should there not be a decision within several days. Meanwhile, the two Pakistan cricketers also require visa extensions in case the verdict is delayed beyond October 31, the day when their visa expires.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2011.