By Paul Nyathi|Principled Zimbabwean soccer referee Norman Matemera rejected an offer of US$10 000 to throw a Confederation of African Football match on Independence Day.

Matemera would not be swayed to take the offer by Equatorial Guinea outfit Desportivo Niefang to influence the result of their Caf Confederation Cup play-off tie against Cote d’Ivoire’s Williamsville Athletic Club.

Matemera, handled the April 18 encounter between Desportivo Niefang and Williamsville Athletic Club in the Equatorial Guinea city of Bata which the hosts won 2-1 but still bowed out 3-2 on aggregate after having fallen 2-0 in the first leg in Cote d’Ivoire.

On the eve of the match Desportivo Niefang officials, working in cahoots with Togolose match commissioner Lawson Mahuwe as their emissary, tried to offer Matemera and his assistants Brighton Nyika, Salani Ncube and Philani Ncube a cash bribe of $10 000 to ensure the Equatorial Guinea side won the match to advance to the group stage of the competition.

Matemera, however, resisted those attempts and instead reported the incident to the Confederation of African Football.

Zifa Referees Committee vice-chairman, Gladmore Muzambi confirmed the incident.

“The referee reported the matter to Caf and I believe Caf are already seized with it. We believe Caf have adequate machinery to deal with such issues,’’ Muzambi said.

The veteran Zimbabwe referees’ administrator said he was also saddened to hear that Matemera and his assistants had been dumped by the Desportivo officials after the match, seemingly being punished for botching their bribery attempts.

“It is so sad that after the referees turned down their bribery offer, the club dumped them and they had to pay for their own meals at the hotel as well as transport to the airport’’.

The Togolese match commissioner also reportedly left for the Equatorial Guinea capital Malabo without further checking on the referees.

Matemera, handled the crunch tie between Dynamos and CAPS United at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.