(Image source from: AP)
On Thursday, former Australian cricketer Stuart MacGill was convicted for his role in a cocaine transaction, but he was found not guilty of participating in a large-scale drug distribution. A jury at the Sydney District Court acquitted the 54-year-old leg spinner of being involved in a one-kilogram cocaine deal that was valued at AUD 330,000 (roughly Rs 1.81 crore) that occurred in April 2021. Despite his acquittal, he was still convicted on the charge of involvement in drug supply. Reports from Australian media indicated that MacGill displayed minimal emotion when the verdict was announced. His sentencing has been postponed for eight weeks. The court was informed that MacGill had facilitated a meeting between his regular drug dealer and his brother-in-law, Marino Sotiropoulos, beneath his restaurant located on Sydney’s northern shore.
Although he denied any knowledge of the cocaine deal, prosecutors contended that the transaction could not have occurred without his participation. MacGill was also reportedly involved in an alleged kidnapping incident last year. The two brothers accused of the kidnapping claimed in court that MacGill came to them willingly and was engaged in drug activities. According to Fox Sports, Richard and Fredrick Schaaf, the brothers involved, presented evidence that MacGill had voluntarily arrived at a deserted property in southwestern Sydney.
Initially, police maintained that MacGill was merely a victim and had not participated in any criminal conduct. Earlier this year, the brothers pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful detention, and the case is expected to go to trial sometime next year, as outlined in a report from foxsport.com.au.
"Regrettably, this has been a significant issue for me, essentially bringing everything to a standstill. While the police investigation is nearly concluded, the trial is still pending. It's an experience I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Later that day, it became quite dark, and I was forcefully placed into a vehicle by three men. I resisted, expressing my unwillingness to get in, but it became clear they were armed. They said, 'We know you're not involved; we just want to talk,' and then proceeded to put me in the car. I ended up being in there for an hour and a half," MacGill recounted during an interview with Adam Gilchrist on the SEN WA Breakfast Podcast.
