He was arrested in a sting operation for trying to bribe match officials

South African police say a man has been charged with corruption after he was arrested in a sting operation for trying to bribe match officials to fix a football game in a lucrative promotion playoff.

Police say the 41-year-old man was arrested in Cape Town on Wednesday in an operation by the country’s organized crime unit after he had offered to bribe referees and linesmen at a hotel the day before.

Western Cape police say he tried to influence a match in favour of a team vying for promotion to South Africa’s top Premier Soccer League in end-of-season playoff matches. They declined to say which  team.

The man was arrested following a tip-off from one of the officials.

Police say “a large amount of cash was seized” and the man will appear in court later Thursday.