Three match-fixing suspects, who were arrested in Roysambu, Nairobi on Friday night, were Monday released on a bond of Sh300,000 with two sureties of a similar amount.
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.
The charges read: “On diverse dates between February 3, 2023, and March 10, 2023, in Roysambu area within Kasarani sub-county of Nairobi county, jointly with others not before court conspired to commit a felony namely cheating, an act which is considered a match-fixing in a football game in any part of the world.”
They were arrested following an operation involving the Kenya Police, Nation Media Group, and footballers attached to Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League side City Stars.
They had allegedly promised City Stars players and management Sh1.8 million to manipulate their league match against Sofapaka on March 10, 2023.
As part of the ploy, they were to first receive Sh30, 000 each through Mpesa 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, admitted to having infiltrated several local clubs.
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.
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.
