Four in court in connection with 'match-fixing plot'

Four men have appeared in a UK court charged in connection with a National Crime Agency inquiry into alleged football match-fixing.

Footballers Michael Boateng and Hakeem Adelakun, both 22, and co-accused Chann Sankaran (aged 33) and Krishna Sanjey Ganeshan (aged 43) both originally from Singapore, are accused of taking part in a conspiracy to defraud bookmakers.

All four appeared at Birmingham Crown Court today for a short 10-minute preliminary hearing.

It is alleged that former Conference South players Boateng, of Davidson Road, Croydon and Adelakun, of Mayfield Crescent, Thornton – who have since been sacked by Brighton club Whitehawk FC – and Ganeshan (aged 43) of Hougang Avenue, Singapore, together with Sankaran, (aged 33) of Hawthorn Road, Hastings, East Sussex all conspired to influence the course of football matches.

The conspiracy is alleged to have taken place in Manchester and elsewhere between November 1 and November 26 this year.

Boateng, wearing a dark brown jacket and jeans, and Adelakun, who was in a light grey zip-up top, both appeared on unconditional bail and stared straight ahead throughout today’s proceedings.

Meanwhile, Sankaran, who appeared wearing a Manchester United-branded coat and was smirking throughout the hearing, and Ganeshan, wearing a striped formal shirt and a light grey overcoat, remain in custody.

The four will next appear back at the same court to enter their pleas on March 7, next year.

A provisional trial date has been set for May 19, 2014, with the case expected to take up to four weeks to hear.