By Spy Uganda
Kampala: The Federation of Uganda Football Associations(FUFA) has banned provisionally ten referees, two football administrators and one player from all football-related activities for 90 days as investigations into potential participation in a multi-match fixing scheme.
The Investigatory Chamber of the FUFA Ethics and Disciplinary Committee received alerts indicating that several matches in the first round of the 2023/2024 football season had been targeted for manipulation for betting purposes by an organised criminal ring.
In accordance with Article 77(8) of the FUFA Ethics and Disciplinary Code 2023, official investigation proceedings were opened against the 13 persons.
Pursuant to Article 78 of the FUFA Ethics and Disciplinary Code 2023, Internal investigations into the matter commenced and the investigations have since revealed that a match-fixing syndicate based in South Africa was responsible for and financed the plot to manipulate the matches.
The operation on behalf of the match-fixing syndicate was led by one Hilfiger Mutyaba alias Chelsea and other local criminal elements.
Hilfiger Mutyaba is an ex-convict who was charged, convicted and sentenced in the Virgin Islands for financial-related crimes.
Hilfiger Mutyaba alias Chelsea and his accomplices recruited Referee Kaddu Ali who was tasked with approaching and recruiting club officials, players and referees on behalf of the match-fixers for purposes of involving them in the fixing of matches.
As part of this match-fixing scheme, the investigation has so far identified some of the matches that were targeted for manipulation by the match-fixing syndicate between October 2023 and December 2023.
The matches concerned are;
1) Kigezi Homeboyz Vs Kyetume FC played on 12/10/2023
2) Kaaro Karungi FC Vs Calvary FC played on 12/10/2023
3) Rines SS WFC Vs Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC 15/10/2023
4) Asubo Gafford Ladies FC Vs She Maroons FC 15/10/2023
5) Jinja North United FC Vs Kyetume FC on 29/10/2023
6) Blacks Powers FC Vs Lugazi FC on 02/11/2023
7) Kyetume FC Vs Ndejje University FC 16/11/2023
The investigation further revealed that several referees, club officials and players were approached and bribed by the match-fixers concerning the manipulation of the results in the matches mentioned above.
There is prima facie evidence that the following people potentially participated in the match-fixing scheme;
1) Kaddu Ali – Referee
2) Kongola Ahmed- Football Administrator
3) Epieru Richard- Football Administrator
4) Sajjabi Geofrey- Referee
5) Noor Hassan- Referee
6) Muyaga Khalid- Referee
7) Okello Simon Peter – Referee
8) Nantantya Godwin- Referee
9) Atuheirwe Joyce- Referee
10) Nabisere Tausi- Referee
11) Atuhaire Docus- Referee
12) Ichilla Samuel- Referee
13) Kiyemba Latif- Player
The provisional bans have been communicated individually to each party and the world soccer governing body-FIFA.
FUFA is committed towards the fight against match fixing. In March 2023, the Federation launched an anti match fixing campaign and also signed an MoU with a data collecting firm called Sportradar to get information from the first and second division for the start.
