Matasi Denies Involvement in Match-Fixing Allegations

Patrick Matasi’s club owner has stated that the former Kenya national team goalkeeper has denied any involvement in two widely circulated videos allegedly linking him to match manipulation.

Cleophas Shimanyula, the chairman of Kakamega Homeboyz, told Nation Sport on Thursday that he had shared the videos with Matasi, who firmly denied having any knowledge of them.

“When the first video emerged on Wednesday night, I sent it to him, and he said he knows nothing about it. This morning, I shared the second part with him, and he again stated that it was not him in the footage. He is shocked by the videos,” Shimanyula said.

Repeated efforts to reach the 37-year-old goalkeeper for comment were unsuccessful, as his phone remained unreachable.

In one of the clips, an individual alleged to be Matasi is seen seated inside a vehicle while receiving instructions from an unseen party regarding the manipulation of a match’s outcome.

“I repeat again before my boss. This is the first deal, I beg you. You know how we have done business. I have never let you down, and you have never let me down.

My business with you is zero failure. Whatever will be given to me, I will forward to you immediately. Once I do, I will call you, and my boss will confirm receipt before the deal proceeds. The first half, bro, what we want must happen, then my deal should not fail,” said the unidentified speaker.

In another clip, a person alleged to be Matasi is heard in conversation with two other unseen individuals.

“Let me ask you something, Matasi, can you promise us that there will be two goals in the first half? That’s all we need. Nothing else. Just two goals in the first half because (a second voice interjects) that’s how we set up the match.

When you let in a goal, you open up the game. If the match goes beyond 20 minutes without that, it becomes difficult. But if you concede early, when the game is still heating up, it sets the tone. If the goal comes in the first few attacks, everyone will acknowledge it, and the team will push for a comeback,” said the second person.

The individual alleged to be Matasi responds: “So what I’ll do, you know all this will depend on what I discuss with the defender because the first ten minutes are just….”

Shimanyula stated that Kakamega Homeboyz would not take action or launch an internal inquiry since they could not verify the authenticity of the videos.

“We don’t even know if this is a case of video manipulation. As a club, we cannot act based on unverified recordings. Matasi has played three matches and performed well. If the coach selects him for this weekend’s game against KCB, we have no issue with that,” said the Kakamega-based businessman.

Kakamega Homeboyz Team Manager Boniface Imbezi echoed the sentiment. “He (Matasi) trained today. I asked him about the video, and he firmly maintained that he is not the one in it. We have advised him to avoid social media, as he has done since joining our club, and to stay focused on training.”

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) issued a statement confirming the launch of an investigation in collaboration with global and continental football governing bodies.

The federation also urged individuals with relevant information to come forward, assuring them of confidentiality.

“We reaffirm our zero-tolerance policy on match manipulation and are committed to preserving the integrity of our competitions,” read the FKF statement.

“The investigation will adhere to FKF’s regulations and international guidelines, ensuring a fair and transparent process. The rights of the player and his club will be respected, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings.”

Matasi has previously faced scrutiny over errors in key matches at both club and national levels. He was criticized for his role in Harambee Stars’ 4-1 loss to Cameroon in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaoundé.

He was also in the spotlight when Kenya Police FC faced Egyptian side Zamalek in a CAF Confederation Cup fixture, conceding goals that were widely questioned.

Matasi joined Kakamega Homeboyz in February from Kenya Police FC. He has previously played for AFC Leopards, Posta Rangers, Tusker, and Saint George in Ethiopia.