Arrest match-fixers: Coltart

The Standard

By Albert Marufu

21 October 2012

THE Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, David Coltart, has called for the prosecution of individuals who have been handed life bans by Zifa over match-fixing allegations.

Zifa president, Cuthbert Dube, on Friday released a report that saw 15 players and administrators being banned from the sport over allegations of match-fixing in Asia between 2007 and 2009.

The life bans, which came to effect on the day the announcement was made, fell on former Warriors coach, Sunday Chidzambwa, former Zifa chief executive officer, Henrietta Rushwaya, the association’s former programmes officer, Jonathan Musavengana, soccer players — Thomas Sweswe, Guthrie Zhokinyu, Method Mwanjali — and 10 others.

Writing on his Facebook profile yesterday, Coltart said police and the attorney general should move in to act quickly. “I fully support Zifa’s decision to serve life bans on various players and administrators responsible for what is undoubtedly the most shameful chapter of Zimbabwe’s sporting history. I trust that the Police and the Attorney General will now act quickly to investigate and prosecute those identified,” he wrote.

“If they do not, then their offices will also be tainted by this scandal. I have no doubt that the football-loving public expects that those responsible for criminal activity should face the full wrath of the law.”

Police spokesperson, Andrew Phiri, however said the police would only act when the law has been contravened and a complainant made. “We normally are not deployed by what appears in the newspapers,” he said.

Dube said some recommendations for possible arrests would be made.

‘There will be some recommendations for arrests and the board will meet on Friday,” said Dube.

Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) director general, Charles Nhemachena, expressed gratitude that the matter was coming to an end, but said the board would make a decision on the way forward.

“We did receive the report yesterday [Friday] and I will hand it over to the board on Monday [tomorrow]. The board will then decide on the way forward. The SRC is pleased that the matter is coming to an end because it had dragged for a long time,” Nhemachena said.

Zifa would release in batches names of individuals who will be suspended with the next batch being that of players and officials who have been banned for 10 years followed by those who would have been handed five-year bans.

The next batches will be that of individuals who will have been banned for three years, two years and one year.

Life bans: Henrietta Rushwaya, Jonathan Musavengana, Kudzai Shabba, Sunday Chidzambwa, Thompson Matenda, Godfrey Japajapa, Rodwell Dhlakama, Emmanuel Nyahuma, Robson Sharuko, Edmore Sibanda, Danisa Phiri, Thomas Sweswe, Guthrie Zhokinyi, Method Mwanjali and Hope Chizuzu.