LET PEOPLE JUDGE ME, DECLARES MAPHEPHA January 23, 2015 Sport Ernest “Maphepha” Sibanda addresses journalists yesterday. Next to him is his agent Usher Ncube Ernest “Maphepha” Sibanda addresses journalists yesterday. Next to him is his agent Usher Ncube Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter— DISQUALIFIED Highlanders FC chairmanship candidate Ernest “Maphepha” Sibanda wants the club’s members to have a final say on whether he should be allowed to stand or not during Sunday’s annual general meeting. Sibanda, who was challenging incumbent Peter Dube, had his papers thrown out by the electoral court on Monday with returning officer Luke Mnkandla saying reasons for his disqualification would be explained to members at Sunday’s annual general meeting. Mnkandla was diplomatic in responding to questions from the media after vetting saying, “In essence we found Sibanda not in good standing and it’s really sad, quite sad indeed.” Sibanda called for a Press conference yesterday and expressed shock at calls that he was not in good standing as he had no criminal record at all. He believes that he is of good standing as according to Article 9 of the club’s constitution on qualification for the executive committee position. ● 9.1: a prospective candidate for any position in the executive committee must be a current fully paid up member of the club who has been so for an uninterrupted period of at least two years, immediately preceding his nomination. ● 9.2: such prospective candidate for any position in the executive committee must not be an unrehabilitated insolvent and must not have been convicted in the 10 years immediately preceding his nomination of any crime involving dishonesty for which he has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment without the option of a fine or to a fine exceeding $50,000 or to both such fine and such imprisonment. The ghost of Obidiah Tarumbwa’s transfer to Cercle Brugge FC in 2008 is haunting Sibanda after the former allegedly misrepresented to the club that the player had been sold for $40,000, yet it was $65,000. The club got $40,000 with $25,000 deposited into a Botswana account without the club’s knowledge. Sibanda was found guilty of depriving the club “a huge chunk of the transfer of Obidiah and he did succeed in doing so having re-routed the money and converting it to his own use,” read part of the judgment. He eventually repaid the money in full, “albeit in drips and drabs”. Yesterday Sibanda said he served his punishment and as such was free to contest. “Yes, I got the judgment in 2010 and two years after that I was pardoned. My current card was not stopped (sic) and was given back my card. On Asiagate I was cleared. Go to the courts, police and find out if I have a criminal record. I don’t have any so why then deny people an opportunity to turn me down through voting?” he said. “I would have loved to go there and lose but I was never given a fair trial. That is why I want people to be the ones who turn down my candidature because I cannot take football matters to court. As long as Highlanders members say I mustn’t be in a position for life I will accept that with dignity.”
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 09:14:11 +0000
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