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Jerry Sibanda Byo City FC chairman

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA has brewed another shocker by suspending Bulawayo City FC chairman Jerry Sibanda and head coach Philani Ncube over match-fixing allegations.

Sibanda and Ncube stand accused of trying to manipulate the outcome of a league match against Border Strikers in August.

The duo brings to four the number of officials from Bulawayo that have been banished from local football by Philip Chiyangwa’s Zifa executive committee following the suspension of Premier Soccer League boss and Highlanders chairman Peter Dube as well as Bosso chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede on Monday.

In a statement last night, Zifa said Sibanda and Ncube are immediately barred from participating in association football activities in Zimbabwe.

“Both Sibanda and Ncube, who are the chairperson and head coach of Bulawayo City respectively, were complicit in the attempt to manipulate the outcome of a Premier Soccer League match between Border Strikers and Bulawayo City at Dulivhadzimu Stadium on 3 August 2016.

“The Zifa executive committee convened on the 13th of November and resolved to immediately bar Sibanda and Ncube from holding positions in association football or associating with Zifa and any of its members.

In terms of Article 34 (n) of the Zifa constitution, the “executive committee may dismiss a person or body or suspend a member of Zifa provisionally until the next congress”.

The Zifa executive committee agreed that Sibanda and Ncube had shown absolute disdain and disregard for the Zifa constitution by their unsportsmanlike conduct which intransigently violates Article 2 (e) and Article 7 of the Zifa constitution.

“Disciplinary proceedings for the suspended officials will be instituted in due course,” reads the statement released by the association.