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While the rest of the world was celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day, former City Stars head coach Robinson Ofuokwo Ndubuisi was fighting mosquitoes at Tassia Police Post.
According to police records at the post, Ofwuokwo, a Nigerian national, was arrested on December 23, 2015 after two Ghanaians reported him for issuance of bad cheques. The statements recorded by the Ghanaian footballers, Samuel Coloman and Prince Opong, showed that the two paid Ofuokwo Sh24,500 each as facilitation fee, after the Nigerian reportedly promised to process their visas to Dubai.
Upon landing in Kenyan, Opong stayed with a female friend, Eunice Mwangangi in Athi River. Eunice narrated that Opong, being a professional footballer, came to Kenya from Singapore where he used to play, en-route to Uganda.
Opong reportedly proceeded to Kampala, but returned to Kenya after the club there failed to meet his pay demands.
Eunice told The Nairobian that it is during Opong’s daily trainings at various football fields in Nairobi that he met Coloman and other West African footballers in Kenya, who linked him to Ofuokwo, then a renowned football coach and agent.
“Opong introduced me to Coloman as his fellow countryman and friend during his stay in Athi River,”narrated Eunice.
“In March, the two boys asked me for a soft loan, stating that they had found someone with connections in Dubai, but the man wanted Sh24,500 as facilitation fee. After consultations, I sent Sh49,000 to a phone number belonging to Robinson Ofuokwo, which I was given by the two footballers,” she added.
According to Eunice, a Kenyan businesswoman, Opong and Coloman overstayed their welcome at her house, and there was nothing coming from Ofuokwo, and that is when she became worried. However, despite owing the two footballers the Dubai visa money, Ofuokwo reportedly still wanted more money, ostensibly for medical tests and certificates, and that is when she decided to report the matter.
She says that when she asked Ofuokwo about the Dubai trip, the former City Stars coach allegedly blocked all her calls, prompting the footballers to demand a refund of the money, which also was not forthcoming. “When we persisted, Ofuokwo gave me a cheque for Sh49,000, but the cheque bounced when we went to cash it at the bank. It is then that we reported the matter to Tassia Police Post,” said Eunice.
The OCPD Embakasi Police Station, Apollo Wanyama, while confirming the incident, said: “The Nigerian national was accused of obtaining money by false pretence and according to the complainants, Ofuokwo took Sh49,000 from them promising to process their visas, but did not do so.
“The two reported the matter but later came back asking that he be released since they had agreed to settle the matter amicably between them,” said Wanyama.
However, in a new twist, Ofuokwo now accuses the two players plus another Nigerian for being behind a syndicate that makes ‘fake asylum seeker passes.’
According to Ofuokwo, a Nigerian, (name withheld) has been making fake travel documents which players use to register in Kenya as footballers.
“The Nigerian man is behind the scheme and knows everything about the fake work permits most foreign players in the country use. In fact, he was arrested yesterday by Kenya Police at Tassia. You can contact the police post to follow up on this case,” Ofuokwo said as he denied claims that he had conned Opong and Coloman.
When The Nairobian contacted Tassia Police Post, the officer in charge denied knowledge of any further arrests, adding that Ofuokwo was the suspect, while Opong and Coloman were the complainants. But the controversial coach-cum-agent vehemently denied any wrong doing and instead accused Coloman and Opong of being criminals.
“I want the Kenyan government to bring them to book as they are spoiling the name of foreigners in this country and causing a nuisance. It is because of this type of people that KPL has decided not to register any foreign players again with an asylum seeker pass,” he told The Nairobian through mail and also provided passports, asylum papers and photos of the three which according to him were forged documents.
Whereas Coloman and Opong have since left Kenya for Rwanda for an invitational tournament, it remains a unclear how Ofuokwo, a Nigerian national operates, in Kenyan football circles.
In July 2015, Matarr Nyan, a Gambian footballer was arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport upon entry for being in possession of a fake work permit. In what ended up as one of the biggest scandals in Kenyan football, it was later revealed that senior officials at Tusker had earlier in March 2015 paid Robinson Ofuokwo Sh400,000 to process work permit for two players - Stephen Owusu and Matarr Nyan.
Charles Obiny, Tusker FC’s Chief Executive Officer denied any wrong doing saying that it was the player’s club, Real de Banul Football Club which gave them (Tusker) the go-ahead to conduct all player transactions with Ofuokwo.
“I know that work permits take long to process, but the player came with his agent who wanted him to play in good time,” said Obiny.
Tusker would later report the matter at Kasarani Police Station for further investigation, even as Nyan was charged at Milimani Law Courts and deported back to Gambia.
