Former S-League footballer Gaye Alassane allowed to keep citizenship after inquiry

UPDATE: This story has been updated with statements from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Alassane’s lawyers.

Former S-League player Gaye Alassane, who was implicated in a match-fixing case, has been allowed to retain his Singapore citizenship after nearly being stripped of it late last year.

This comes after an inquiry held earlier this year to determine his citizenship status.

The Mali-born footballer, who became a naturalised citizen in 2003, received the results of the Citizenship Committee of Inquiry (CCOI) hearing on Wednesday morning (27 June) at the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) building.

The 43-year-old, dressed in a white shirt and black pants, looked relieved and was chatting on the phone when he left the building with documents in hand.

When asked about the result of the inquiry, Alassane told Yahoo News Singapore, “All is positive. Thanks to God and thanks to government.”

“The officer come to me… After the conversation, they talked very nicely, they were very kind. They told me the Singapore government has accepted to (let me) keep my citizenship,” he added.

“I said thanks to God, thanks to them, thanks to Singapore government. I am very pleased about it.”

Alassane, who is divorced from his Singaporean wife and has two children aged 12 and 18, attended a one-hour hearing at ICA on 17 January after receiving his notice of proposed deprivation in December last year.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said then that it would strip Alassane – who was detained without trial for over two years in 2013 – of his Singaporean citizenship for his alleged involvement in a match-fixing syndicate. The ministry gave him 21 days after the notice was served to refer his case to a CCOI, after which a report was submitted to MHA, which made the final decision.

When asked if he had to observe any conditions to keep his citizenship, Alassane said, “(The officers) just told me to be very careful and then to not get involved in anything concerned (with) what had happened before,” referring to his alleged involvement in the syndicate.

Alassane also expressed gratitude to his lawyers and family who had helped and supported him.

Asked about his current work, Alassane he will continue being a driver with Grab and do part-time coaching at schools. “I am taking one day at a time and living as I used to,” he said.

Responding to queries by Yahoo News Singapore, Alassane’s lawyers S Balamurugan and Partheban Pandiyan said that Gaye has been duly punished for his involvement in criminal activities and has served significant time in detention.

“Since his release from detention, he has adhered to the conditions of the police supervision order. He is an active volunteer at the mosques and it is clear that he is reformed,” said the lawyers, who were not present with Alassane on Wednesday.

Balamurugan added that his client was “anxious and troubled” the night before the hearing as he would have “encountered immense difficulty in finding employment and provide for his children” should he be rendered stateless.

Background to the case

The MHA served a notice of proposed deprivation of citizenship under Article 133(1) of the Constitution to Alassane after finding that the former S-League player conducted global match-fixing activities through Singapore, and travelled to other countries for the same purpose.

Without naming Alassane, it said in a statement on 7 December last year, “The individual and his syndicate members used Singapore as a hub to conduct major global match-fixing activities.”

“The individual’s serious criminal conduct not only undermined the integrity of Singapore’s financial system, but also law and order. Witnesses were afraid of testifying against the individual and his syndicate members in open court for fear of reprisal,” it added.

Alassane obtained his citizenship through the Family Ties Scheme after he married a Singaporean clerk from the Football Association of Singapore in 2003. He is now divorced.

He was detained without trial in 2013 under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act for some two years and three months. He was released in January 2016 but was placed under Police Supervision Order for three years, according to media reports.

According to past reports, Alassane arrived in Singapore from a Malian club when he was 19 years old to play for Tiong Bahru Football Club in the now-defunct Singapore Premier League. In 2000, he played in the professional S-League with Gombak United.

Alassane also founded the A-Stars Soccer Academy in 2011 for young footballers, which was closed after his arrest.

When contacted by Yahoo News Singapore, MHA confirmed that Alassane had retained his citizenship.

In a statement, an MHA spokesman noted that while there were “sufficient grounds” to deprive Alassane of citizenship, the CCOI had recommended that he be allowed to retain it on compassionate grounds.

“The CCOI observed that he has been earning an honest living since his release from detention and he has not re-engaged in any criminal activities. He also appeared to be very close to his children, playing an important role in their lives,” added the spokesman.

After taking into account the testimonials provided by his ex-wife, children and the mosque where Alassane performs voluntary community service, “the CCOI formed the view that this individual appeared to be a changed man who would likely not re-offend.”

The Home Affairs Minister, who has the final say in such matters, has therefore decided not to deprive Alassane of his citizenship for now, subject to his conduct and behaviour.

Related story:

Former S-League player to have citizenship revoked over match-fixing