MONROVIA, Montserrado – Liberia’s Jerry Yekeh has been cleared of allegations of corruption by Africa’s football governing body, the Confederation of African Football.

The FIFA-badged referee was among several referees seen in the video of Ghanaian undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas that exposed corruption in African football by referees and senior football officials.

Eleven referees were handed bans of between 2 and 10 years and one referee was banned for life after the first investigation by CAF. Yekeh was part of a separate set of 11 referees who were asked to appear before CAF’s Disciplinary Committee in August.

Pending his investigation, he was provisionally suspended by the African football governing body for being spotted among referees receiving money to influence the result in a Group A match between Mali and the host nation, Ghana. According to the report in the video, US$500 was given to each match official to influence the result for Ghana but the video didn’t show Yekeh receiving any cash despite being in the room where the cash was handed to the referees.

However, Yekeh denied all allegations when asked about his involvement in the match fixing scandal. He told reporters that he was a member of the officiating crew but knew nothing about what occurred with money that was distributed.

“I went there to do a piece of job and I did my job,” he said, after CAF announced his provisional suspension. “I didn’t know about money being issued to influence the match. I did nothing and I’m not afraid because I’m being truthful.”

With the investigation being finalized by CAF and Jerry Yekeh being cleared, the director of refereeing at the Liberia Football Association, Ebenezar Stanley Konah, said that it is not good news for Yekeh alone but everyone involved with refereeing in Liberia.

“We are so grateful to God that he was able to clear every one of us not just Jerry Yekeh,” said Ebenezer Konah.

Since being cleared by CAF, Yekeh has officiated three games in the 2018 campaign.

Featured photo by T. Kla Wesley Jr.