BREAKING: Top Rwanda FA Official Arrested Over Attempt to Bribe Referee

Rwanda Football Federation secretary general Francois Regis Uwayezu was arrested Wednesday evening by the country’s Investigations Bureau officers and taken to their Kigali offices for questioning.

According to the investigation agency spokesperson Modeste Mbabazi, Uweyazu was arrested over an attempt to bribe a referee in order to manipulate the result of the 2019 AFCON qualifier between Rwanda and Ivory Coast played at Kigali Stadium on Sunday.

“Rwanda Investigations Bureau is conducting an investigation regarding CAF bribe allegations by the Ferwafa officials,” Mbabazi said.

Uwayezu’s arrest came hours after the federation’s Commissioner of Competitions Eric Ruhamiriza was also taken behind bars over the same offense.

The two are being held after Namibian referee, Jackson Pavaza, who was in charge of the game, claimed that that the two officials attempted to bribe him so as to manipulate the match in their favor.

In the report that he submitted to CAF, Pavaza wrote, “The money was in a brown envelope. I did not try to count it or see how much it was. I just told them that I do not accept any gifts from anyone, as per CAF regulations. I rejected it.”

In the game that the hosts lost 2-1, Pavaza was assisted by compatriots David Shaanika, Shoovaleka Nehemia and Matheus Kanyanga.

The Rwandese FA has played down allegations insisting that it can never and will never be indulged in any form of corruption which jeopardizes the integrity and professionalism of the game.