The Ethics Commission of the Rwanda Football Association (FERWAFA) has sentenced the Assistant Coach of Amagaju FC, Imurora Hakizimana Japhet, to be suspended from all football activities for a period of five years and to pay 6.2 million Frw for match fixing. It happened before this match of the 27th day of the 2025/26 Rwanda Championship, where the voice of Imurora talking to the goalkeeper of Musanze FC, Habarurema Gahungu, was heard, asking him to win the match between the two teams.
After more than three months of examining this matter, it was decided that Imurora will be banned from all football activities for five years because he did not facilitate this commission.
He was also fined 5 million Frw, in addition to the amount paid for his vote in the RFI, which is 6.28 million Frw.
How the ethics commission saw it
After analyzing what all the invitees told the commission and the detailed report of the Rwanda Forensic Institute, the Commission finds that Imurora Hakizimana Japhet, the coach of Amagaju FC, determined the outcome of the match on 17/04/2026 between Musanze FC and Amagaju FC.
This is an offense under Article 39.1: Manipulation of football matches and competitions, which states: Any person, directly or indirectly, through an act or omission, causes something to be done illegally or changes the course of the game, scores/goals or anything else in the game and/or competes, or colludes with others or attempts to do so in any way, is punishable by suspension from participating in all football-related activities for a period between three and five years, and a fine between 500,000 Frw and 5,000,000 Frw. For serious offences, a long-term suspension may be imposed which may result in a permanent suspension from all football-related activities.
Certification of the Ethics Commission
The Ethics Commission finds that the votes presented as evidence are the votes of Imurora Hakizimana Japhet, and therefore he should be held responsible. In addition, the commission finds that he did not facilitate the commission of ethics in his questioning especially that he pleaded not guilty.
The Ethics Commission has banned Imurora Hakizimana Japhet from participating in any activity related to football for a period not exceeding five years.
Imurora Hakizimana Japhet is also sentenced to be fined five million Rwandan francs (5,000,000 Frw) in addition to the money FERWAFA provided for the process of testing these voices at the Rwanda Forensic Institute (1,287,340 Frw), so the amount of money fined is equal to 6,287,340 Frw.
The Ethics Commission finds that the Amagaju FC team has not allowed this coach (Imurora Hakizimana Japhet) to participate in these activities to determine the outcome of the game.
The commission has warned Amagaju FC for failing to monitor the misconduct of its staff.
The Ethics Commission in FERWAFA reminds that the appeal of this decision is three working days from the time of notification of the decision.
