Singapore: Three Lebanese referees pleaded not guilty to the charge they accepted sexual bribes in return for fixing a regional soccer match involving East Bengal but had their request for bail rejected by a Singapore judge on Wednesday.
Kamala Ponnampalam dismissed the claims because a "flight risk cannot be discounted". FIFA-recognised referee Ali Sabbagh and assistants Ali Eid and Abdallah Taleb will next appear in court on April 18.
On Tuesday, Singapore businessman Eric Ding Si Yang, who once worked for the local New Paper tabloid as a football tipster, was released on S$150,000 bail after he pleaded not guilty to bribing the trio with prostitutes.
The three officials had arrived in Singapore last week to take charge of the AFC Cup match between local side Tampines Rovers and East Bengal of India, but were hastily replaced hours before kick off by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The officials face a maximum fine of S$100,000 and a five-year prison term if found guilty. Ding faces the same punishment on each charge.
Comments
0 comment