Cairns formally charged with perjury

News

Cricket365
September 25, 2014

Former New Zealand player Chris Cairns has been charged with ‘perverting the course of justice’, otherwise known as perjury, at a North London court, relating to the libel case he won against Lalit Modi in 2012.

Modi, the IPL founder, had alleged on Twitter that Cairns was involved in match-fixing, and Cairns won that libel case, with damages of 90 000 pounds awarded. Since then, accusations of fixing have stuck with Cairns.

He has always denied the fixing allegations, but has now been charged with perjury and will have to report to court in a week to enter a plea, which is expected to be ‘not guilty’.

Earlier this month, he put out a statement about the matter, saying: “I’m obviously extremely disappointed, however, at least there will now be an opportunity to face my accusers in an open forum, with some rigour and proper process around that, so that I can clear my name once and for all.

“I hope that, through this forum, significant additional information will be flushed out that will help people to better assess the situation, as well as the character and motives of the parties involved.

“I wish this wasn’t the situation – having been to court before, I know what lies ahead and how gruelling it will be and how tough it is on my family – but I have nothing to hide and I will do whatever it takes to once again prove my innocence.

“I will continue to co-operate fully with the authorities, including voluntarily travelling to the UK to face these changes.”