Thembinkosi Lorch: Questions Asked After Player's Salary Mentioned During Sentencing in Assault Case

• Thembinkosi Lorch's attorney declared the salary of the Orlando Pirates midfielder in court
• Lorch was found guilty of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm by a South African court
• Following the disclosure, social media users have debated the legitimacy and implications of the claims

The truth is not meant to escape the intense spotlight of a courtroom.

As Thembonkosi Lorch seeks a lenient sentence after his conviction, the Randburg Magistrates Court heard details about his remuneration.

The figure has puzzled social media users, given the player's status and the amount of money footballers are believed to earn.

While arguing for a suspended sentence, Lorch's attorney stated that he has several dependants and that removing his R50 000 salary from their lives would be problematic.

Social media users have been doing the maths, and are not convinced.

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It is unclear how Lorch's contract is structured so it is difficult to ascertain what figures the legal representative was quoting.

One source has claimed Lorch earns far in excess of that figure, enough to put him among the highest earners in the league.

The Cover Up stated:

"The South African international is reported to have penned a three-year extension, which will see him stay at the club until the end of the 2026/2027 season. The new deal sees him enter the top five of the most paid players in the league."

Lorch's reasons for being in court are no laughing matter, however.

The Pirates man was found guilty of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. The club released a statement on the matter, as published by TimesLive:

"Following our internal investigations, the Club charged Mr Lorch with serious misconduct. He pleaded guilty to the charge and the Club imposed a sanction of a monetary fine and ordered him to undergo anger management therapy.

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"Mr Lorch informed us that he attended the anger management therapy and completed the prescribed number of sessions. We are confident that the anger management therapy was an appropriate corrective measure."

Lorch butt of jokes before

Sports Brief recently reported that Lorch had been the subject of online trolling due to comparisons with a rival.

Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns fans have argued for years whether Lorch or Themba Zwane were better players

The stats point to Zwane being the superior contributor but Pirates fans believe Lorch has done more for South Africa.