The SAFA referee who is suspended for allegedly soliciting a R1800 bribe has opened up about the incident.
Percy Murei [pictured above] and his assistants Rivhathihi Malima and Vhuhwavho Mathuli are set to face the SAFA Vhembe DC over the allegations.
According to a statement issued by SAFA this week, the trio allegedly approached a club official and asked him to pay each of them R600 if he wanted them to officiate in his favour. The match was between Masakona Real Citizens and Mashau Pull Together who are in the SAFA regional league. The Vhembe region is home to PSL clubs such as Black Leopards and Venda FC.
Murei has since explained what transpired on the day and distanced himself from any wrongdoing. He further threatened to take legal action if SAFA did not publicly apologise to him.
SAFA REFEREE GIVES EXPLANATION ON THE SOLICITING OF A BRIBE INCIDENT
“I picked up my fellow match officials at a local garage to the match,” he told FARPost.
“The cellphone of my assistant Vhuhwavho kept on ringing while we were on the way and he was communicating with a person only known to him. It was only later on that he asked me to go and meet a person inside a Ford Ranger. He asked me to pack outside the road.
“He requested that we park next to that specific car. But I refused and he got out of the car and spent 10 minutes there. He once again came to the car and he told us the owner of Masakona Real Citizens spoke with the SAFA Vhembe secretary,” he explained further.
“The owner of the club then walked into my car and asked me how much he should pay me to manipulate the results. I never answered, I just laughed. He continued to communicate with the other assistants. The assistant referee kept on saying we should go to the owner’s car. But I refused several times.”
SAFA IN VHEMBE ISSUED AN ULTIMATUM TO APOLOGISE OR FACE CONSEQUENCES
“My other assistant said the owner was acting weird while inside the car. He said he was asking him if he is going to officiate against them if he didn’t pay money. But my assistants said they told him we do our job normally without favours. We then drove straight to the field.
“Unfortunately, the head of referees at SAFA Vhembe called and told us to leave the field. We were then summoned to the office the following Monday and issued with the letters of suspension.”
SAFA Vhembe has recently been marred with infighting. Last year, some officials took the region to FIFA over their banning by the leaders. But FIFA dismissed the matter.
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