After being implicated in match fixing, former Kakamega Homeboyz midfielder Festo Omukoto has suffered yet another blow after Western Stima yesterday terminated his contract.
Omukoto was part of the three Homeboyz players handed a four-year ban from all football related activities by Fifa for allegedly predetermining results contrary to the global body’s disciplinary code.
Omukoto met Fifa's wrath alongside Festus Okiring and Moses Chikati who will be sidelined for four years. Former Tusker man and Ugandan George Mandela was slapped with a life long ban.
The former Nairobi City Stars player, who had sealed a move to the power men in the January transfer after being deemed surplus to requirement at Homeboyz, was yesterday dropped from the playing unit.
Stima’s chairman Laban Jobita said he elected to terminate the player’s contract to protect the image of the club and to show zero tolerance to the vice. Several clubs had raised eyebrows over the growing links of match fixing in both the Kenya Premier League and National Super League and Jobita has challenged the relevant bodies to look into the matter.
“Match fixing is a serious offence in football and we could not keep him in the team. By the time we had signed him, we were not aware that he had committed the illegal act. The ban also meant that the club will not enjoy his services unless he successfully appeals at Fifa,” said Jobita
At the same time, the administrator revealed his plan to intensify internal scrutiny with an intention of catching match fixers who may be rooted at the club.
He expressed fears that Omukoto may have spread the gospel of match fixing for the days he had trained with the rest of the players
“The player had trained with the team for some days and I fear he may have recruited or shared ideas with other players. If he used to fix matches at Homeboyz, what would have stopped him from doing the same at Stima? We will monitor our players closely and will not hesitate to out individuals who are linked to the practice. I believe in my players and will protect them from any influence to fix matches,” he added.
