Cameroon professional football league authorities have suspended 17 referees for fraud. According to a release signed by the Secretary General of the League, the referees are henceforth barred from taking part in any activity related to the ongoing League 1 and League 2 championships. The names of the referees, we gathered, have already been submitted to the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT for further disciplinary measures to be taken.

Among the sanctioned referees are those who handled a match pitting Canon football club of Yaounde against Union of Douala on Sunday April 9. Heavily armed security forces escorted the referees out of the Yaounde Military Stadium after the match. They had infuriated fans of Union during the match.

Canon led Union football club of Douala 1 goal to zero up to about ten minutes before the end of the match. After signalling a foul play in Canon’s penalty box , Union fans expected the referee to award a penalty shoot in favour of Union, but he rather awarded a free-kick, which free-kick amounted to naught. Union was thus defeated 1-0 to the dissatisfaction of fans.

The sanctions indicate that Drid Nkamba, the central referee of the Canon vs Union match and his linesmen who are said to be well trained, are not the only ones involved in manipulating the outcome of matches in the ongoing tournament.

The referees sanctioned include; Emmanuel Shu Achu, Nkou Ateba, Mouhamed Malsouley, Jean Marie Kamla, Drid Kamba, Hubert Zemba Koal, Simon Ngo’on Mbeleck, Augustin Onana Onana, Koliou Sop, Charles Boweye Boweye, Guy Fabrice Epea, Idriss Banfo, Willy Ngah, Souleymanou Mbah, Bakari Ouwaissou, Eric Njofang, Franklin Afang.