Kenyan World Cup-bound referee caught on tape receiving bribe
Thursday June 07 2018
Aden Marwa has been implicated in a bribery scandal that aired on the BBC on June 6, 2018. PHOTO | FILE |
A senior Kenyan referee has been struck off the list of match officials for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia after being captured on camera receiving a Ksh60,000 ($600) bribe in order to influence the outcome of an international match.
Aden Range Marwa was among 63 assistant referees set to officiate at the tournament scheduled for next week.
In an exposé aired by the BBC on Wednesday, Marwa was shown receiving the money at a background that resembles a hotel room.
Controversial Ghanaian journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who produced the footage, said it was shot during the 2018 Africa Nations Championship (Chan) tournament in Morocco.
The referee is heard in the clip acknowledging the cash as a "gift" and a sign of friendship.
"You know, thank you for the gift but the most important is that friendship, getting to know each other," says Marwa.
The 41-year old was unavailable for comment but Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa has promised to investigate the matter.
"We only learnt of the allegations through the media," said Mwendwa.
"As such, we want to let due process take its course, it's important to note that as a federation we are yet to receive any complaint in regard to the match official, whether written, verbal or implied."
"That notwithstanding is to say that FKF has a zero tolerance on corruption but also strongly believes in justice and fairness for all that is why we will be meeting with the match official in the coming days to hear his side of the story before an official position on the matter is arrived at, this even as we await any investigation on the same by the world football governing body Fifa."
Marwa, a mathematics teacher from Kotombo Secondary School in western Kenya, was on his seventh year serving as a Fifa referee.
He also made the final list for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil but was not given any match to officiate.
He officiated as an assistant referee at the 2016 Club World Cup in Japan.
He was named as a Caf assistant referee in the 2017 Fifa Confederations Cup and featured in a similar capacity in the 2012, 2013 and 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) as well as at Chan competitions, Under-17 World Cup, Caf Under-23 Championship and the Fifa Club World Cup.
-Reported by David Kwalimwa.