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Tawanda Mangoma
THE Chiredzi FC executive have threatened to report their coach Moses Chunga to police after the former Warriors star allegedly disappeared with $4,000 in gate takings. The revenue was collected from the club’s recent match against Dynamos at Chishamiso Stadium. Chunga is alleged to have taken the money in the presence of Chiredzi vice-chairman Joel Sithole who failed to stop the gaffer from taking the earnings home.
Treasurer Norman Sharara had hoped to raise another $3,000 to pay the 35 players $200 each.
Bambo allegedly tasked Chiredzi FC captain Fidelis Mangezi and Brighton Pamhirwa to pay $50 to each of the 35 players. The money paid out totalled $1,750.
The Chiredzi FC coach is said to have kept the greater chunk of the cake to his own use.
Contacted for comment Chunga demanded to know the source of the story.
“Who said that? I won’t talk to you if you don’t reveal to me who your source is. If I was dealing with (a senior sports journalist he named), he would have disclosed the source so tell me so that I can talk to you,” said Chunga before hanging up.
Last weekend Chiredzi FC hosted a team launch at which the executive cleared the air on the ownership of the team.
Chiredzi FC chairman Charles Muchatukwa said they had to rise to the occasion to defend the franchise from leaving the Lowveld after some people had shown interest. He also said the club needs $300,000 to fund its Premier League season until its end.
“We had to rise and defend the Hippo Valley franchise from leaving the Lowveld after some people had shown interest. We, however, take this opportunity to clarify that no one owns Chiredzi FC. This is a community team for Chiredzi,” said Muchatukwa.
When Tongaat Hullet human resources director Fred Nyangwe handed over the Hippo Valley franchise to Chiredzi, Muchatukwa and team secretary Reason Dube stood as signatories of the community.
Muchatukwa confirmed in an interview yesterday that Chunga collected gate takings from the DeMbare match. He said the executive was launching an investigation.
“I can confirm that Chunga collected the money Chiredzi FC realised during the Dynamos match,” he said.
“The executive has been undertaking investigations and we now have a position that the matter will be handed to the police. No one has to tamper with funds of a team when it’s stated in the constitution that all funds realised must be banked and accounted for.”
Sources say the fallout between Chunga and the executive deepened when the outspoken coach dumped their traditional transport, a 24-seater mini bus sourced by the executive, for a bigger Zupco bus which was more expensive for the struggling side.
Also, Chunga was accused of absenteeism from most of the team’s training sessions leaving his assistants in charge.
derick.khumalo