Kisumu court acquits Ugandan football agent Santos of match-fixing charges

Ronald Fred Niwagira Mwine, also known as Ronnie Santos is a free man.

The renown Ugandan football players’ intermediary regained his freedom after a magistrate’s court in Kisumu, Kenya acquitted him of the alleged match-fixing prior to a Kenya Premier League match between KCB and Western Stima.

Popularly tagged as Ronnie Santos in the football circles, Niwagira was arrested on suspicion  of allegedly trying to fix the afore-stated match.

The alert was raised by Western Stima chairman Laban Jobita who set up the trap for his arrest having heard about his intentions.

“When we got the tip, I gave a go-ahead to the four players and the team manager to go to Museum View Hotel, record the conversation and tip me once the Ugandan national (Niwagira) had placed the cash on the table. They were to lose 4-0, two goals on each half when they play KCB on Sunday” Jobita disclosed.

It is alleged that Niwagira was offering KShs500,000 (about Shs17m) to be shared among some members of the playing staff and the team manager and he advanced Ksh 10,000 (Ugx 335,000) with the balance to be paid after losing the match.

“Immediately our officers arrested the said person and established that he is a Ugandan national by the name Mwine whose immigration status has expired,” read the police report.

After a search, Police later Niwagira in possession of more Ksh 61,600 (Shs2m) in cash.

The initial court case had been scheduled to be heard on 27^th January 2021 but it was pushed ahead pending further investigations.

“I am happy that I have been acquitted without any charges. God is good” Niwagira sighed with relief.

Niwagira has since traveled back to his native country, Uganda and is expected to resume his normal life where he also juggles sports journalism on the state owned UBC West Radio and Star FM.

His radio show “Akapapula” loosely translated the “Paper Fixtures” has attained him popularity among the sports family particularly those interesting in betting live matches on all leagues across the world.

The development comes days after a Greek court acquitted the owner of Olympiacos, Vangelis Marinakis, and all the others 27 defendants from all the accusations that had been levelled against them in the 28^th Trial against match-fixing charges.

On Thursday 28^th January 2021, Aristea Tsamadia, president of the three-member Criminal Court of Appeals in Athens, announced that the Court unanimously acquitted Marinakis, and all the others 27 defendants.

This followed a thorough analysis of all the elements of the investigation, from the testimony of the witnesses (and the contradictions they encountered) and from the rejection of the pre-investigation conclusion by the lawyers of the accused, the court decided to reject all the accusations.

FIFA is against all acts of match fixing and strongly condemns the vice with the loudest voice.