The country’s football governing body, FUFA, has provisionally suspended a total of 13 individuals, including ten match officials, two administrators, and a player, for their alleged involvement in a widespread match fixing scheme.
The individuals suspended for 90 days from all football-related activities include referees; Ali Kaddu, Atuheirwe Joyce, Nabisera Tausi, Geoffrey Sajjabi, Noor Hassan, Muyaga Khalid, Okello Simon Peter, Atuhaire Dorcus, Ichilla Samuel, and Nantantya Godwin.
The two administrators suspended are former BUL FC CEO Ahmed Kongola and Epieru Richard, while the player is Kiyemba Latif, who plays for Lugazi Football Club.
According to a statement released by FUFA on Thursday, June 13th, the Investigatory Chamber of the FUFA Ethics and Disciplinary Committee had received alerts indicating that several matches in the 2023/24 football season were targeted for manipulation by an organised criminal ring based in South Africa.
The investigation has already identified some of the matches that were targeted for manipulation between October 2023 and December 2023.
The matches identified are Kigezi Homeboyz Vs Kyetume FC played on 12/10/2023, Kaaro Karungi FC Vs Calvary FC played on 12/10/2023, Rines SS WFC Vs Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC 15/10/2023, Asubo Gafford Ladies FC Vs She Maroons FC 15/10/2023, Jinja North United FC Vs Kyetume FC on 29/10/2023, Blacks Powers FC Vs Lugazi FC on 02/11/2023 and Kyetume FC Vs Ndejje University FC played on 16/11/2023.
The statement further reads that the match fixing operation was led by one Hilfiger Mutyaba, alias “Chelsea,” an ex-convict who was previously charged and convicted in the Virgin Islands for financial-related crimes.
Mutyaba and his accomplices are said to have recruited referee Ali Kaddu, who was then tasked with approaching and recruiting club officials, players, and other referees to participate in the fixing of matches.