Kenyan World Cup referee caught on camera receiving bribe – VIDEO
At a time Kenyans thought they have seen it all, a senior Kenyan referee has been captured receiving a $600 (about Sh60,000) bribe to reportedly influence the outcome of an international football match.
And as a result of this revelation contained in an expose aired by the BBC on Wednesday, Aden Range Marwa has reportedly ruled himself out of officiating at the 2018 Fifa World Cup which begins next week in Russia.
Marwa would have earned a tidy sum of Sh2.5 million for officiating at the global football showpiece.
The expose was produced the mysterious Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw.
The video clip shows Marwa alongside dozens of other match officials and senior football administrators receiving money, in contravention of Fifa’s code of ethics.
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Kenyan referee to earn Sh2.5m at World Cup
The footage shows Marwa, a Mathematics and Chemistry teacher at Komotobo Secondary School in Kuria, Migori county, receiving the cash (in dollar bills) inside what appears to be a hotel room.
At the time, he is clad in the official referee track uniform complete with the Fifa badge.
His accuser claims the video was taken during the 2018 Africa Nations Champions hosted in Morocco in January and February.
Interestingly, the Kenyan match official is heard in the clip acknowledging the cash as a ‘gift’ and even seems all too keen to extend the friendship.
He tells someone who is not visible on camera: “You know, thank you for the gift but the most important is friendship, getting to know each other.”
On social media the footage divided opinion among Kenyans:
GRACE TO GRASS: Kenyan referee Aden Marwa out of the world cup officiating team after he was caught on tape receiving a bribe during the CHAN tourney, he took 60k. #Shame pic.twitter.com/1TyrCugKIX
— Nick Mudimba (@NickMudimba) June 7, 2018
Sad that Kenyan FIFA referee Aden Marwa has had to pull out of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.I have reviewed Anas’s footage (Ghanaian undercover reporter) of the alleged bribe taking and I honestly think as journo, the method used by him to news gather leaves a lot to be desired.
— Odeo Sirari (@OdeoSirari) June 7, 2018
Aden Marwa has not brought shame to Kenya, the shame was already there, he just lifted the veil and took it global.
We can keep dreaming of a corrupt free Kenya or we need to look inside ourselves and awaken.
“Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” – Carl Jung
— Sam Gichuru (@SamGichuru) June 7, 2018
Congratulations Aden Marwa for representing GOK well in world cup.
You did what anyone else would have done ✅.— Dennis Nyambane™ (@ItsNyambane) June 7, 2018
You loose 2.5 Million for 60,00/=
SHAME on you Aden Marwa ?— KIPCHUMBA ?? (@iamkipchumba) June 7, 2018
Aden Marwa caught in camera receiving bribes..sigh..we don’t just stop, he as resigned from refereeing in the world cup.
— aleckie ronald (@SirAlexas) June 7, 2018