The Tribunal heard evidence that the ACU had established information during its investigation into the corrupt approach made by Mr Rajan Nayer to Zimbabwe cricket Captain Graeme Cremer, which gave the ACU reasonable grounds to suspect that Mr Ikope may have engaged in corrupt conduct under the Code. Mr Nayer, then Treasurer and Marketing Director of the Harare Metropolitan Cricket Association (HMCA), was charged under the Code and banned from all cricket for 20 years.
Mr Ikope was bound by the Code as a result of his affiliation to the HMCA as its Chairman and to Zimbabwe Cricket as its (at the time) Director. As such, he was required to cooperate fully with ACU investigations.
Following a full hearing and presentation of written and oral argument, the Tribunal found Mr Ikope guilty of the following three offences under the Code:
Article 2.4.6 – Failure or refusal to cooperate with the ACU’s investigation by failing to provide accurately and completely the information and/or documentation requested by the ACU in January 2018. This included refusing to hand over his mobile phone and documents demanded by the ACU.
Article 2.4.7 – Obstructing or delaying any investigation that may be carried out by the ACU in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code in January 2018. This included further failures and delays handing over his mobile phone and documents demanded by the ACU.
Article 2.4.7 – Obstructing or delaying any investigation that may be carried out by the ACU in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code in February 2018. This arose as a result of his deletion of data from his mobile phone before handing it over to the ACU.
Mr Ikope was banned by the Tribunal for 5 years in respect of each breach. The Tribunal ordered the first two of the 5 year periods of ineligibility to run concurrently, with the penalty for the third breach of Article 2.4.7 to run consecutively, resulting in a total ban of 10 years.
Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager – ACU said: “We welcome this decision and the substantial sanction imposed on Mr Ikope which reflects the gravity of the offences. Non-cooperation and obstruction of our investigations by participants to the Code are simply not acceptable and I hope this and other recent sanctions sends out a clear message to anyone involved in the sport.
“Once again we must thank an international captain, Greame Cremer, for his absolute professionalism in recognizing the initial approach by Mr Nayer, rejecting and then reporting it. We are thankful to him and to Zimbabwe Cricket for all the help during the investigations”.
