Centralgate probe ends

in the match-fixing scam that rocked their regions.
Hokonya, who is the Central Region chairman, and his Southern Region counterpart Banda were suspended from the Zifa board in December last year following the explosion of a match-fixing scandal in the Central Region’s Division One League.
The duo was first implicated by referee Cosmas Nyoni in a matter that also sucked in suspended Zimbabwe Women’s Football secretary-general Samukeliso Silengane.
Zifa then set up a probe team that was led by former Fifa referee Brighton Mudzamiri and included another retired Fifa referee Wilfred Mukuna, Esther Mubaiwa and Rueben Pwanyiwa.
It has since emerged from preliminary investigations carried out by the Mudzamiri committee that they believe that Hokonya and Banda have a case to answer on allegations that they worked with Silengane to try and influence the outcome of matches in the Central Region promotion race.
Mudzamiri’s committee also revealed overwhelming evidence against Silengane and outlined more than six counts that she would have to answer for. Mudzamiri and his colleagues effectively found Silengane to be the mastermind of the corrupt activities that dented the Central Region Division One title race last year.
“Following reports of match fixing, corruption and maladministration among other irregularities, particularly in the Southern and Central regions, a four-member investigating committee led by Brighton Mudzamiri was instituted to carry out some investigations.
“In order to ensure that the investigations are carried out without any interference, some board members, referees and commissioners implicated in the scandal were suspended pending investigations.
“A total of 50 witnesses have been interviewed so far. Special mention goes to the Zifa president (Cuthbert Dube) without whose support the investigations carried out so far would not have been complete. The committee also wishes to highlight that match-fixing and corruption investigation is a complex assignment which requires time and skill because of the intricacies involved,’’ Mudzamiri said.
The Harare policeman then also chronicled how Silengane had ended up being elevated to chair the Zifa Referees Committee and how she had allegedly abused her office and indicated that enough evidence has been gathered for the implicated officials to be summoned to appear before a disciplinary committee.
It is, however, Hokonya and Banda who have the highest profiles among the individuals that Mudzamiri’s team believe should be summoned to appear before a Zifa disciplinary committee.
“Following the suspension of Kennias Marange who was chairing the referees committee, Samukeliso Silengane took over the position in an acting capacity and abused her position and power unilaterally suspending the following referees without any reasonable cause, Tambudzai Tavengwa, Brilliant Sibanda, Saneliso Sibanda, David Ndebele and Mandla Sibanda.
“She unilaterally removed Ndabezihle Ncube from the referees committee through an email only copied to three board members without any justification. She will be charged for abuse of office.”
Mudzamiri also found evidence that Silengane had allegedly embezzled affiliation fees she collected from the referees and match commissioners in Bulawayo province.
“Samukeliso Silengane, working in cahoots with Gift Banda who is chairman of the Southern region, Patrick Hokonya the chairman of the Central region and using Cosmas Nyoni who is the co-ordination for the Southern region hatched a plan to fix games between Hardbody and FC Glow, Tripple B versus Chrome Stars and Gweru Pirates versus Kwekwe Stars.
“All referees and commissioners that were assigned to officiate at the three matches were drawn from Bulawayo and were given instructions as to the desired results from the perpetrators who were addressed as the elders.’’
Although a charge sheet has since been prepared for Silengane, Mudzamiri revealed that he was finalising his probe on Hokonya and Banda who would then be referred to the disciplinary committee.
“The match-fixing allegations on the two suspended board members Gift Banda and Patrick Hokonya are still continuing. One board member Gift Banda was only spoken to, he is still to be thoroughly interviewed and statements recorded from him while the other member Patrick Hokonya is still to be interviewed’’.
Mudzamiri also indicated their probe into the Centralgate had helped them unearth match-fixing claims in the Southern region and the Premiership. “Though the scope of the investigations was to cover the two regions (Division One) it was uncovered during the course of investigations that some Premier Soccer League matches were also fixed towards the end of the season when teams were fighting against relegation,’’ wrote Mudzamiri.