Football player convicted of attempted bribery

An attempt to bribe a rival football player has ended up in a conviction for Zurrieq FC footballer Josef Briffa.

Earlier today, Briffa, 22, was found guilty of offering €1,000 to two Santa Lucija footballers before a 2008-2009 third division match between Santa Lucija and Zurrieq that would decide which of the two would be promoted to the second division.The footballers Briffa approached were not interested in throwing the match, however, and had reported the attempt to the authorities.

Three Santa Lucia players testified. One full-back said the accused had whispered the offer in his ear while he had been defending a corner. Another defender testified to being told “a thousand after the game” by the opposing number 11, whom he had never met before. The reserve goalkeeper had also told the court of having overheard the accused telling a third party that “they don't want to know.”

Briffa categorically denied the allegations.

The court made it clear that the fact that a fourth player in that same match had been cleared of bribery – also being confirmed on appeal – had no bearing on this case.

Magistrate Farrugia held the evidence in this case all tied in with each other, links in a chain pointing to Briffa's guilt.

After evaluating the witnesses' statements, Magistrate Ian Farrugia held that it had been proven beyond all doubt that the accused had been wearing the number 11 shirt during the match. Neither was there doubt as to the identity of the accused as the person offering the bribe.

Corruption in football undermines and destroys the trust placed in the sporting world by the general public and in particular by the younger generation. The court was duty bound to fight corruption wherever it encountered it, saying that the phenomena was causing “ a lot of damage to the fabric of society.”

The court sentenced Briffa to 6 months imprisonment, suspended for 4 years and fined him €2,000.