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Phillip Chiyangwa

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
IN addition to problems emanating from the Premiership relegation impasse, Zifa should expect huge claims from Henrietta Rushwaya, Edzai Kasinauyo and Nation Dube who were acquitted of match-fixing charges at Harare’s regional court yesterday.

Zifa reported the trio to the police in May on allegations that Kasinauyo, then a Zifa board member, former chief executive officer Rushwaya and fired Warriors’ assistant coach Dube planned to fix the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Swaziland and Zimbabwe.

They were charged together with former Warriors’ coach Ian Gorowa and ex-player agent Kudzi Shaba.

Zifa went on to slap Kasinauyo and Gorowa with 10-year bans, with Dube whose club Hwange had been told to suspend him handed a five-year ban while Rushwaya got a life ban. Shaba was exonerated.

Rushwaya, Kasinauyo and Dube who maintained their innocence since the start of the saga were a relieved lot after regional magistrate Lucy Mungwari ruled in their favour, saying the State failed to prove a prima-facie case against the trio.

Mungwari who said there was no evidence linking the three to the Limpopogate scandal slammed the State and its witnesses for lack of seriousness.

Now that the matter has been concluded before the courts, the duo of Kasinauyo and Dube is contemplating on taking legal action against Zifa who laid false accusations and caused them loss of income. Kasinauyo said it will take him time to restore his reputation.

“At the moment I’m just enjoying the moment after some hard and trying times. I’ve always said I was innocent and the courts have proved that today. I’m yet to discuss the way forward with my legal team who will meet soon,” said Kasinauyo.

“You know if you’re dealing with legitimate people they’re not quick to judge and believe in one being innocent unless proven guilty, meaning that some of the people that I was dealing with were supportive throughout the hard times. However, because in business there are issues to do with trust, this matter messed up my reputation and trust but I’ll now have to work hard to regain that in business. In a couple of days I shall be in a position to tell you my next step,” Kasinauyo said.

He is on record saying he was going to challenge his 10-year ban from football, as he feels the process in which Zifa came up with the verdict was flawed.

After being slapped with a 10-year ban in June Kasinauyo said his constitutional rights to a fair trial were infringed as he was never called for a hearing.

“Surely, as a citizen of Zimbabwe, who abides and is protected by the constitution of the country, if I feel my rights have been infringed, it’s only logical that I act within the confines of the law. Proper procedures were not followed and they’re aware of that,” said Kasinauyo.

Just like Kasinauyo, Dube felt hard done by Zifa.

In a telephone interview from Harare yesterday, Dube said: “To me it’s a wasted year. What is important is to get my life back again and I want to go back to work. You can imagine the damage that these unfounded claims have done to my career. I don’t want to fight, I just want to know that since the court has cleared me what then will happen to this ban that they gave me? I also used a lot of money travelling from Hwange to Harare for the case, there are also legal fees and issues to do with my upkeep while I was here in Harare which I have to discuss with my lawyers. Besides worrying about the monies that I lost and the damage done to my career.  I’m happy this is over.”

@ZililoR