Zimbabwe cricketers held on foreign currency violations

HARARE—Two leading Zimbabwe cricketers and a well-known official, arrested on charges of violating foreign exchange rules, were set to be released Monday. Babu Meman, who has managed the national team for several years, together with batsman Vusimusi Sibanda and seam bowler Waddington Mwayenga, had been picked up on Saturday following a tip-off about their foreign currency earnings from Test match and ODI match fees. But Meman told newsmen Monday: “We are in the process of being released right now. I don’t foresee any hicups and there are no restrictions on us. I believe the instruction to let us go came from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe”. Meman added by phone: “We know who caused this mischief, but he has failed except to give anxiety for our families”. A crisis meeting of Zimbabwe Cricket got under way Monday at Harare Sports Club under senior director Judge Ahmed Abrahim. About 40-50 directors, provincial and club chairmen, national coach, players and selectors met to consider what Ebrahim called “the way forward”. ZC chairman Peter Chingoka and managing director Osias Bvute had previously told the government controlled Herald daily newspaper they were still in charge. But they were absent when the meeting got underway. Detectives were expected to question Chingoka and Bvute as part of their investigations into alleged foreign currency violations. Problems at Zimbabwe Cricket led to the resignation two weeks ago of national team captain Tatenda Taibu.—Agencies