Home Affairs minister Obert Mpofu yesterday rewarded local football referee Norman Matemera with $5 000 following the official’s refusal to take a $10 000 bribe in order to influence the match between Desportivo Niefang of Equitorial Guinea and Williamsville Athletic Club of Ivory Coast.
BY XOLISANI NCUBE
Matemera, who is an Assistant Inspector based at Milton Park Police Station in Harare, was given the money at a function to commission an anti-corruption unit of the force.
The reward, according to the police, was sourced from the Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga, Home Affairs permanent secretary Melusi Matshiya and Mpofu. In a citation read by the police, Matemera was praised for exhibiting courage and honesty in the discharge of his duties.
The police boss gave his subordinate $1 000, while the permanent secretary donated $1 000, with Mpofu offering $3 000.
According to the police, Matemera had been offered a bribe of $10 000 by Equatorial Guinea outfit Desportivo Niefang to ensure the Equatorial Guinea side registered a decisive win through his influence in the Caf Confederation Cup play-off tie against Williamsville Athletic Club last month.
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Desportivo Niefang won 2-1, but still bowed out 3-2 on aggregate after falling 2-0 in the first-leg in Cote d’Ivoire.
The police said Desportivo Niefang officials, working with Togolose match commissioner Lawson Mahuwe as their emissary, tried to offer Matemera $10 000 to ensure the Equatorial Guinea side won the match to advance to the group stages of the competition.
Matemera, however, resisted those attempts and reported the incident to Caf.