National association boss Cuthbert Dube and chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze said the ethics committee would proceed by way of summons to get some of the “big fish” to attend the hearings. They said more than 80 players had been interviewed with a number of high-profile soccer personalities yet to appear before the Justice Ehmad Ebrahim committee.

Both administrators said the committee was expected to conclude its investigations soon.

“They have not had it easy, its been very absorbing with some of the people implicated in the Asiagate match-fixing scandal refusing to appear before the committee.

“What they have resolved to do is to go through the Messenger of the Court who will serve each and every individual with papers to appear before the committee. This is the legal route we are taking to ensure that all those that are supposed to appear before the committee do so,” said Dube.

Mashingaidze said the committee was looking forward to be through with the interviews by 16 July  and to have finalised everything by the first week of August.

“The nation is expecting to hear the final conclusion of this case. It has taken far too long and we are also worried as much as the soccer family is. We want to move on with life after this. The committee will regroup on Tuesday,” said Mashingaidze.

He said once the Asiagate ethics committee was through with its work, the report will be tabled at a Zifa board meeting and subsequently assembly.

Both acknowledged that the process has been very sensitive. He said they had since through Fifa received overwhelming evidence that matches were thrown and that some Zifa staffers, players, coaches and administrators were active participants in Asiagate.

“When we release more information of what was happening, the nation will be shocked, payments of up to $200 000 for the Warriors to lose. We appointed a former Supreme Court Judge so that there is professionalism,” said Mashingaidze.

Dube said the independent body had been commissioned to ensure that the outcome of the investigations was legally binding.

Both could not disclose who would be interviewed from today but insisted that it would be the big fish.

Henrietta Rushwaya the former Zifa chief executive who was acquitted of match-fixing allegations when the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission reported her to police, is alleged to have been a key member in the tours of Asia, Europe and East Africa.

Dube said Zifa wanted the match-fixing case to be finalised as soon as possible.

“In August, Fifa will host a special course on match-fixing and betting in South Africa and Zimbabwe will be used as a case study. They are keen to know what we would have done as part of the rehabilitation process given a case where some players actually wept when they were ordered to ensure Zimbabwe lost,” said Dube.

According to the initial report compiled by a committee which was led by Ndumiso Gumede, Energy Murambadoro wept when he was asked to throw matches in Asia.

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