President Benita Urey of Shaita Angels vehemently refuted claims spreading across social media platforms alleging that she offered $300 to members of Paynesville FC to influence the outcome of a match. She firmly stated that she has not engaged with any athlete from this team for such purposes.
Following the emergence of a leaked text message from the Paynesville FC players' group chat over the weekend, Urey's reaction addresses claims that she provided funds to the team before their game against Shaita FC.
A video shared online shows Paynesville FC player Marlon Harrison allegedly posting this statement: “Hello everyone, we got $300 from Benita Urey. Following the match, our squad was reduced to nine players; subsequently, the team’s captain and leader handed over $100.”
Furthermore, in a related audio clip, two players can be heard voicing their concerns over the monetary distribution. One player remarks, “They distributed three hundred dollars to the team yesterday; some members received benefits, while others did not.”
In reply to a question posed by The Liberian Investigator Urey strongly refuted any allegations of misconduct and asserted that she has only ever exchanged casual pleasantries with players from Paynesville FC.
"To begin with, let me clarify: throughout my entire life—I vow on this—never have I reached out to any player from the Paynesville team to fix a match in favor of Shaita FC,” she stated.
Urey, who additionally works as a match commissioner, mentioned that she has had no prior communications with player Marlon Harrison, who was responsible for posting the now widely circulated message.
She asserted that an individual from Paynesville FC is intentionally trying to tarnish her reputation, mentioning that the supposed screenshots started spreading following the team’s game with Freeport FC.
As the inquiry continues, Urey faulted the Liberia Football Association (LFA) for releasing a statement publicly prior to giving those accused an opportunity to be heard. She expressed frustration that both she and others have faced condemnation in the court of public opinion even before being given their day in court.
Eleven Players from Paynesville FC Suspended
In the meantime, the LFA has temporarily banned Eugene Swen—who was named the best defender in the current First Division League—along with 10 fellow players from Paynesville FC due to accusations of match-fixing and game tampering.
The list of suspended players encompasses Ayetah Yangbe, H. Dan Weah, Chris Dennis, Abraham Flomo, Prince Nagbo, Marlon R. Harris, Michael Greene, Blamo Weah, Lawrence Worgloh, and Mickie Dokie.
The athletes are being investigated for supposedly receiving a payoff to affect the result of their significant Matchday 23 game against Shaita FC, which took place in April 2025 at the SKD Training Field.
Shaita FC, facing potential demotion, secured a victory with a score of 7-0. Nevertheless, the poor display and attitude exhibited by multiple players from Paynesville FC raised serious doubts about possible misconduct during the match.
The uneven outcome sparked criticism from supporters, who called for an internal probe into the behavior of several club members. Initially, Paynesville FC submitted six players to the LFA for additional scrutiny; however, this list has expanded to include 11 individuals.
In a message sent to Paynesville FC President Hilary Sackie, the LFA stated that the players are barred from participating in all events authorized by the organization, as well as prohibited from using its premises. The group stressed that this suspension serves only as a preventative step and should not be interpreted as an indication of wrongdoing.
When contacted by The Liberian Investigator Sackie stated that the club backs the LFA's choice; however, he pointed out that the squad was significantly impacted by the suspensions. He further mentioned that only 10 players took part in their last game on Sunday.
These suspensions highlight the LFA's dedication to openness and ethical standards as the organization continues its probe into the claimed misconduct.
Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).