Match-fixing suspects released on Sh300,000 bail
From left: Akhiad Kubiev, Bernard Nabende and Martin Munga Mutua at the Makadara Law Courts in Nairobi on March 13, 2023.
What you need to know:
- The trio- Russian national Akhiad Kubiev, Ugandan Bernard Nabende and Kenyan Martin Munga Mutua denied the charges of cheating contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code when they appeared before Principal Magistrate Eric Mûtûnga AT Makadara Law Courts on Monday.
Three suspects arrested in Roysambu, Nairobi on Friday night over allegations of match-fixing were Monday released on a Sh300,000 bond with two sureties of a similar amount.
The trio, Russian national Akhiad Kubiev, Ugandan Bernard Nabende and Kenyan Martin Munga Mutua appeared before Principal Magistrate Eric Mûtûnga at Makadara Law Courts and denied the charges of cheating contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code.
"Between February 3, 2023, and March 10, 2023 in Roysambu, Kasarani Sub-County of Nairobi County, jointly with others not before court conspired to commit a felony namely cheating, an act which is considered as match-fixing in football in any part of the world,” the charges read.
They were arrested following an operation involving the police and and footballers attached to Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League side City Stars.
The suspects had allegedly promised the Nairobi City Stars players and management Sh1.8 million to manipulate their league match against Sofapaka on March 10 this year.
It is alleged that the players were first to receive Sh30,000 each through M-Pesa as transport to the match venue.
The suspects, who allegedly bragged to the police that they are “well-connected”, before attempting to bribe them with Sh1 million.
Only mattresses were found in the room where they were busted by the law enforcers after being tipped by City Stars Chief Executive Officer Patrick Korir.
City Stars lay trap
The players were released at midnight after recording their statement, alongside Korir and the club’s coordinator Samson Otieno.
Omukoto, who in 2020 was among the four local players banned by Fifa from taking part in any football related activity for a period of four years after they were found guilty of match fixing, said the suspects, have for the last one month been asking him to connect them with City Stars players, who they can recruit into the vice.
Festus Okiring and Moses Chikati are the other players who were banned for four years while Ugandan George Mandela was banned for life.
