Former South Africa international cricketer Gulam Bodi has been sentenced to five years in prison ©Getty Images

Former South Africa international cricketer Gulam Bodi has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to eight charges of corruption.

Bodi, a big-hitting left-handed batsman who has two One-Day International and one Twenty20 international caps to his name from 2007, is the first person to be imprisoned under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act of 2004.

The Act came into effect in the wake of the match-fixing scandal involving former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje in 2000.

It makes provision for the prosecution of corrupt behaviour within sporting events.

The five-year sentence, which the State asked for Bodi to receive, was passed in the Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria.

The crime carries a maximum sentence of 15 years.

Bodi was banned for 20 years by Cricket South Africa in January 2016.

It came after he admitted to contriving or attempting to fix matches during the 2015 Ram Slam Twenty20 Challenge Series, a domestic cricket competition in the country.

Six other players - Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Jean Symes, Ethy Mbhalati, Pumelela Matshikwe, Thami Tsolekile and Alviro Petersen - have also been banned as part of a lengthy investigation, with suspensions ranging from two to 12 years each.

Petersen, a team mate of Bodi's at the Highveld Lions franchise, was at the Commercial Crimes Court at the time the sentence was handed down.

Alviro Petersen, a team mate of Gulam Bodi’s at the Highveld Lions franchise, was also involved in the match-fixing scheme ©Getty Images
Alviro Petersen, a team mate of Gulam Bodi’s at the Highveld Lions franchise, was also involved in the match-fixing scheme ©Getty Images

"Good day for cricket!!!," he wrote on Twitter in the aftermath.

"Gulam Bodi just been sentenced to five years in prison.

"He will apply for leave to appeal and to extend his bail, pending the outcome of the appeal."

Responding to the tweet, former England international Kevin Pietersen, who was born in South Africa, wrote: "You’ve really tweeted this when YOU were banned for two years for the part YOU played?!?! 

"Wow!"

Seeking to clarify what he meant, Petersen, who has since served his ban and returned to working in cricket as a commentator, responded by writing it was a good day for the sport in relation to the sentence handed down by the court.

"There is a precedent now!" he added.

"It will hopefully deter players from engaging in match-fixing.

"Apologies if my tweet came across any other way."

None of the other players were pursued by police.