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Kenya Police team manager George Maelo has reflected on the club's decision to dispense Patrick Matasi months before being caught in a match fixing scandal.
Kenya Police team manager George Maelo has reflected on the tough decision by both the technical bench and management to drop and subsequently release Patrick Matasi following a series of unprecedented errors months before he was caught in a match-fixing scandal.
Matasi, a vastly experienced goalkeeper who was in goal for Harambee Stars during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), was provisionally suspended by Football Kenya Federation after a video circulating online featured him appearing to conspire to fix a game alongside two unknown individuals.
Matasi had been making high profile errors over the last two years for both club and country. He famously let in a needless goal during a friendly match against Iran in March 2023, and also made more questionable blunders in a 4-0 loss to Cameroon last October.
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11:48 - 28.06.2025
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One of the key turning points came earlier this season in a Premier League tie against Kakamega Homeboyz. Matasi made yet another questionable mistake that led to a 1-1 draw—an error that left players and technical staff frustrated.
“Our captain had just reminded us—‘Guys, two minutes left, stay focused, no silly errors.’ But then, we conceded,” Maelo told NTV’s Sport On. “The dressing room went completely silent. For two days, no one really spoke. The team was bitter. We’d worked so hard all week and then lost it to a careless mistake.”
Head coach Beldine Odemba acted swiftly, benching Matasi for the next match against Murang’a. The move was supported by senior players, and young goalkeeper Job Ochieng stepped in—later becoming the preferred choice under new head coach Etienne Ndayiragije.
“It wasn’t personal,” added the player. “It was about protecting the team’s ambition.”
The situation took a deeper turn when Matasi transferred to Kakamega Homeboyz during the mid-season window. Weeks later, a video emerged online allegedly showing him and two other unidentified individuals conspiring to fix a match. Football Kenya Federation immediately issued a provisional suspension pending investigations.
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19:55 - 30.06.2025
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Kenya Police FC, which operates under the National Police Service, was already conducting internal evaluations.
“There were concerns—not just from within but also from other clubs, stakeholders, and even the national team,” said team manager George Maelo. “People kept asking how certain things kept happening. It became too consistent to ignore.”
“As police officers and professionals, we had to uphold integrity. We investigated and made hard but necessary decisions. Our team’s credibility was on the line.”
Maelo also emphasised the importance of leadership and accountability among the squad's veterans.
“It takes courage for an experienced player to say to a teammate, ‘You made a mistake,’” he said. “But that honesty helped us act fast. We all had one goal—winning the title. And to do that, we needed discipline on and off the pitch.”
Kenya Police FC went on to lift their first-ever Premier League title this season, capping off a remarkable journey from a newly promoted side to league champions in just four seasons.
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10:41 - 28.06.2025
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