Local refs arrested
2004-06-18 15:10
Pretoria - A number of first division and premier soccer club referees and club officials were arrested early on Friday morning in police raids following allegations of soccer match fixing, police said on Friday.
Police spokesperson director Sally de Beer said the operation, codenamed Dribble, kicked off at 02:00 on Friday morning.
"Arrests have been made countrywide," she said but refused to divulge further details until the conclusion of the operation which was expected to be by the end of the weekend.
"We won't say who or how many people have been arrested until hopefully on Sunday night," she said.
The task team headed by Gauteng's deputy provincial commissioner, Afrika Khumalo, and consisting of a number of detectives, began the investigation two months ago at the request of SA Football Association president Molefi Oliphant. It was reported at the weekend that an undisclosed number of referees were expected to be arrested as police concluded their initial investigation.
- SAPA