Duo Jailed For Match-Fixing

06 NOV 2015

On 6 November 2015, Timor Leste nationals Orlando Marques Henriques Mendes and Moisés Natalino De Jesus were sentenced to 24 months’ and 20 months’ imprisonment respectively for offences related to football match-fixing activities at the 28th South East Asian (SEA) Games. In addition, Orlando Marques Henriques Mendes was ordered by the Court to pay a penalty of $1,000.

2. Orlando Marques Henriques Mendes faced the following charges:

  • One count of corruptly agreeing to accept a gratification of $15,000 from one Rajendran s/o R. Kurusamy, as a reward to arrange for the Timor Leste SEA Games football team to lose their match against Malaysia, an offence under Section 6(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 241;
  • One count of being a party to a criminal conspiracy by agreeing to corruptly offer bribes to players of the Timor Leste SEA Games football team as an inducement to lose the same match, an offence under Section 5(b)(i) read with Section 31 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 241; and
  • One count of corruptly receiving a gratification of $1,000 from one Rajendran s/o R. Kurusamy, as an inducement to lose the same match, an offence under Section 6(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 241.

3. Moisés Natalino De Jesus faced the following charges:

i. One count of engaging in a conspiracy with Rajendran s/o R. Kurusamy and Nasiruddin, to corruptly agree to give a gratification of $15,000 to one Orlando Marques Henriques Mendes, a technical director of the Timor Leste Football Association, as a reward to arrange for the Timor Leste SEA Games football team to lose their match against Malaysia, an offence under Section 6(b) read with Section 29 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 241; and

ii. One count of being a party to a criminal conspiracy by agreeing to corruptly offer bribes to players of the Timor Leste SEA Games football team as an inducement to lose the same match, an offence under Section 5(b)(i) read with Section 31 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 241.

4. Singapore adopts a zero tolerance approach towards corruption, and match-fixing of any form is not condoned. The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) will not hesitate to take action against any party involved in match-fixing related activities.

Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau