Festo Omukoto, just like his former team-mate at Kakamega Homeboyz FC, Festus Okiring has vehemently refuted ever getting involved in match manipulation while at the club.The duo alongside Moses Chikati were banned by FIFA for four years each in February 2020 after being found guilty of match-fixing, while Ugandan George Mandela received the heaviest punishment of a life long exclusion from the game.Yet, Festo, without mincing his words, is claiming that the three of them, excluding Mandela, are innocent and were only framed to cover for real match fixers at the club at that particular time, and who are still at large, some playing for “big teams” in the FKFPL.”The initial list of suspected match fixers had eight persons, but only the four of us got banned. The (Kakamega Homeboyz FC) chairman (Cleophas Shimanyula) sacrificed us, at the expense of those who were truly involved in the mess.” Festus Okiring: My life after match-fixing banFesto admits to knowing that there was match-fixing going on at the club, but he denies partaking in the vice, saying that his only link, and what led to him being accused, was being approached to fix two games; against Mathare United and Sony Sugar FC in 2019.”I was approached, but I refused, it was the same thing with Okiring (Festus) and Chikati (Moses). But the chairman was very angry and ended up submitting our names to FIFA.”The game against Mathare United was a five-goal thriller that was to end in a 3-1 win for the Slum Boys, but a late goal, saw it end 3-2, “spoiling the bet”, according to Festo.Pressed to name the person who approached them to fix the two games, Festo responded that “he’s still in the game and I don’t want him to lose his job.”He blames Kakamega Homeboyz management for notifying them about the ban when the window for appeal had expired.”The coach (Paul Nkata), who knew about the developments in time, managed to clear his name, but for us it was too late to do anything.”Nkata was cleared by FIFA of any wrongdoing, and is back in the FKFPL with Wazito FC, where he recently joined as the coach.At only 24, Festo, formerly of Nairobi City Stars, is now engaged in small businesses in Kakamega Town to keep going, while hoping for a second chance at football when the ban ends next year.
