Zimbabwe Police Summon Warriors Coach to Give Evidence in Match Fixing Scam
'I am told that the police have been searching for me since Friday but I was not around. The (Zifa) chief executive (Jonathan Mashingaidze) has just called to tell me that I should go to see them as per their request.'
HARARE — Investigations into match fixing allegations have reached an advanced stage as the Zimbabwe Republic Police summon Warriors coach Kalisto Pasuwa to give evidence in the case that has claimed the scalp of Zifa board member Edzai Kasinauyo and Pasuwa’s assistant Nation Dube. Pasuwa told Studio Seven that the police have been trying to get in touch with him since Friday but he has not managed to talk to them because was out of the country. He said they finally managed to get hold of him today and will be able too tell them all he knows tomorrow about the latest match fixing escapade. “I am told that the police have been searching for me since Friday but I was not around. The (Zifa) chief executive (Jonathan Mashingaidze) has just called to tell me that I should go to see them as per their request,” said Pasuwa. Pasuwa, along with goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva are key witnesses in the match fixing scandal, which has seen the suspension of Zifa board member Kasinauyo, Pasuwa’s former assistant Dube, and has also dragged in former Zifa Chief Executive Officer Henrietta Rushwaya. Player agent, Kudzai Shabba, who was banned during the Asiagte investigations, has also been thrown into the case as one of the master minders of the alleged match fixing scam. Police spokesperson Charity Charamba is on record as saying Zifa has submitted a lot of evidence with regards to this matter. “The ZRP received a report from Zifa. Acting on the report, the police are going through the report and the voluminous evidence provided,” said Charamba. At the same time, Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa has left for South Africa where he is scheduled to meet the South African Football Association leadership and the South African Minister of Sport Fikile Mbalula with regards to this match fixing scandal. Before departure, Chiyangwa dismissed remarks made by one, Terry Stearns, who has exonerated Rushwaya from any wrong doing. Stearns, a former Fifa employee, is validating claims by Rushwaya that she was working undercover to unearth alleged match fixing of Warriors and other matches. However, Chiyangwa says his association is not entertaining Stearns as he is not a football authority since he left Fifa long back. Nyatanga, a prominent leader of Zimbabwe Warriors fans, has called on Zifa to reinstate the Asiagate bans imposed on those who have been implicated again in the new match fixing allegations. Zifa in January pardoned all people who had been banned following the Asiagte scandal but Nyatanga says they should be banned from any soccer activities for life. Nyatanga says as the soccer supporters’ body they feel they are also to blame as they sold Chiyangwa the idea of pardoning the Asiagate perpetrators. “It was our idea but we didn’t know that we were making a big mistake. These people are unrepentant. This time, the snakes’ head has to be crushed,” said Nyatanga. He says, so far, Chiyangwa has done well as the football association leader but adds that he has to deal decisively with the latest match fixing allegations as those accused are prepared for anything or else he is the one who will fall. “Chiyangwa has to deal with these people decisively and conclusively. They are thugs and very dangerous. They are prepared for the worse and he has to act,” said Nyatanga. Nyatanga and his association are organizing an anti-match fixing parade during Zimbabwe’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Swaziland at the National Sports Stadium on March 28.