Malaysian footballer re-arrested in football match fixing case

Singapore: A former Malaysian international footballer of Indian-origin was produced in a court here on a 2012 match fixing case and for having absconded despite authorities impounding his passport.

40-year-old Thanasegar S Sinaiah was re-arrested and brought to special sitting Criminal Mentions at the State courts yesterday for having jumped bail of SGD50,000 and leaving Singapore without his passport which was impounded after he was charged for attempted match fixing and bribing a referee in May 2012.

Thanasegar was previously charged with intentionally helping to arrange a meeting with a local referee, Shokri Nor, for fixing the match between Singapore and Malaysia's Sarawak state football teams.

Shokri received a bribe of RM500 (SGD200) with another offer of RM15,000 (SGD5,865) for fixing the match he was to officiate. Both Thanasegar and Shokri had jumped bail, and their bail amount of SGD100,000 was then forfeited.

The two, along with a third accomplice, Singaporean Indian Selvarajan Letchuman, were arrested from a Singapore stadium just before the match on May 22, 2012.

But Selvarajan was discharged not amounting to acquittal at a later trial as the prosecution was then unable to proceed with the trial without the two, according to media reports today.

Singapore's Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau said Thanasegar was re-arrested with the help of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. Yesterday, District Judge Victor Yeo set a pre-trial conference for Thanasegar on August 29. He was not offered a bail. If convicted, Thanasegar can be fined up to SGD100,000 or jailed for up to five years.