Zhao Zhipeng v Public Prosecutor: S.League Match-Fixing and Sentencing Considerations
In Zhao Zhipeng v Public Prosecutor, the High Court of Singapore heard an appeal by Zhao Zhipeng, a professional footballer for Liaoning Guangyuan Football Club (LGFC), against his seven-month imprisonment sentence for match-fixing under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Zhao pleaded guilty to one charge and had two other charges taken into consideration. The Chief Justice allowed the appeal, reducing the sentence to five months, finding that the district judge did not give sufficient weight to the mitigating factor of Zhao's fear of his manager, Wang Xin, who had significant control over his employment. The court emphasized the need for deterrence in match-fixing cases, especially given the internationalization of the S.League.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Appeal Allowed
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Zhao Zhipeng, a professional footballer, was convicted of match-fixing in the S.League. The court reduced his sentence, considering his fear of his manager.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor | Respondent | Government Agency | Partial Loss | Partial | Christopher Ong of Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Zhao Zhipeng | Appellant | Individual | Appeal Allowed in Part | Partial |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Chan Sek Keong | Chief Justice | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Christopher Ong | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Raymond Lye | Pacific Law Corporation |
| Cheryl-Ann Yeo | Pacific Law Corporation |
4. Facts
- Zhao Zhipeng, a professional footballer, was charged with match-fixing.
- Zhao accepted bribes to lose matches by specific goal margins.
- Wang Xin, the team manager, instructed Zhao to fix matches.
- Zhao feared losing his job if he did not comply with Wang Xin's instructions.
- Wang Xin had significant control over the players' employment.
- The S.League has an international dimension with foreign players and clubs.
- Wang Xin absconded from the jurisdiction before he could be arrested.
5. Formal Citations
- Zhao Zhipeng v Public Prosecutor, MA 34/2008, [2008] SGHC 125
- PP v Zhao Zhipeng, , [2008] SGDC 38
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| S-League football match played between Geylang United Football Club and LGFC | |
| S-League football match played between Gombak United Football Club and LGFC | |
| S-League football match played between Albirex Niigata Football Club and LGFC | |
| Appellant arrested | |
| Judgment issued |
7. Legal Issues
- Sentencing for Corruption Offences
- Outcome: The court reduced the sentence, considering the appellant's fear of his manager as a mitigating factor, but emphasized the need for deterrence.
- Category: Substantive
- Sub-Issues:
- Mitigating factors in corruption cases
- Deterrence as a sentencing principle
- Impact of internationalization on sentencing
- Related Cases:
- [1995] 3 SLR 757
- [1998] 3 SLR 225
8. Remedies Sought
- Reduction of custodial sentence
- Replacement of jail term with a fine
9. Cause of Actions
- Corruption
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Law
- Corruption Offences
- Sports Corruption
11. Industries
- Sports
- Football
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kannan s/o Kunjiraman v PP | High Court | Yes | [1995] 3 SLR 757 | Singapore | Cited to emphasize the disrepute match-fixing brings to football and the S.League. |
| Rajendran s/o Kurusamy v PP | High Court | Yes | [1998] 3 SLR 225 | Singapore | Cited to highlight the wider public interest in severe sentences for corruption in soccer. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Prevention of Corruption Act (Cap 241, 1993 Rev Ed) s 6(a) | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Match-fixing
- S.League
- Corruption
- Deterrence
- Mitigation
- Professional footballer
- Team manager
- Internationalization
- Sentencing
15.2 Keywords
- match-fixing
- S.League
- corruption
- sentencing
- football
- Singapore
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Prevention of Corruption Act | 95 |
| Match-fixing | 90 |
| Sentencing | 70 |
| Criminal Law | 60 |
| S.League | 60 |
| Offences | 50 |
| Professional Football | 50 |
| Criminal Revision | 40 |
| Sports Law | 40 |
16. Subjects
- Criminal Law
- Corruption
- Sports Law
- Sentencing