Nine national team players offered bribe to lose Montenegro game

Nine players for Malta's Under 21 national team had been offered bribes last March, asking them to lose a European championship qualifier match against Montenegro by three goals to nil, a court was told this morning.

Only two of the nine: Kyle Cesare and Emanuel Briffa, had shown interest in the offer, which led to the plan being abandoned.

Malta went on to lose that game one-nil, however the Asian betting syndicate behind the first match-fixing attempt had already set its sights on the later U21 match against the Czech Republic.

This emerged in a sitting this afternoon before Magistrate Joe Mifsud who is hearing evidence against Cesare, Briffa and Pieta Hotspur player Ronnie Mckay of St Julian's.

Cesare, 20, who is also a Pieta Hotspur midfielder and Briffa, 22 who plays defence for Floriana FC are denying the charges.

The accusations had been filed following of the admission by 21-year-old footballer Seyble Zammit who last April was also arraigned in connection with this match-fixing scandal.

Zammit had admitted to the charges but was exempted from punishment in return for his assistance with the police investigation.

The police investigation had been triggered following a report by an MFA integrity officer a few days after the Montenegro game which was played at Ta' Qali on March 23.

This afternoon, Seyble Zammit took the witness stand and testified to having been approached to bribe players ahead of the Montenegro game by Mckay, against a reward in the region of €6,000.

But the plan had failed as only Briffa and Cesare had shown interest.

Zammit claimed to have been under pressure by Mackay to throw the game, or incur a refund of €7,000 - the travel expenses of the Asian mastermind behind the match fixing and betting syndicate. This man, allegedly, from Asia had come to Malta to commission the operation.
But that plan also failed as Zammit was arrested on 30 March.

The case continues on 13 June.

Lawyer Giannella de Marco is appearing for McKay. Stefano Filletti is defence counsel for Briffa.

Clifton Galea is defending Cesare.

Lawyers Adrian Camilleri and Chris Bonnet are appearing parte civile for the MFA