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Prosper Dembedza Harare Bureau
FORMER Zifa chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya yesterday appeared in court accused of masterminding the “Limpopogate” match fixing scandal together with other accomplices by attempting to bribe Zimbabwe national soccer team players to lose games against Swaziland in February.
Rushwaya, 49, was charged with bribery when she appeared before Harare magistrate, Tendai Mahwe.
She was granted $100 bail.
As part of her bail conditions, she was ordered to report once a week at CID Serious Frauds, not to interfere with state witnesses and to reside at her given address.
Allegations are that between January and February this year, Rushawaya working in cahoots with Edzai Kasinauyo, Ian Gorowa and Nation Dube were involved in acts of soccer match fixing targeting the South African Premier Soccer League.
The court heard that Rushwaya together with Leeroy Kundishora Waguta, who turned out to be the whistle blower, were working in connivance with Chan Sankran, a well-known Asian match-fixer who was the financier.
In February, it is alleged that Rushwaya and her accomplices agreed to fix the Afcon qualifiers match between Swaziland and Zimbabwe scheduled for March 25 and 28, 2016, in Mbabane and Harare. They agreed to offer bribes to Zimbabwe national soccer team players as an inducement to lose the game.
It is alleged that they agreed to implement their plan after the announcement of the list of players who were going to play against Swaziland. It is the State’s case that as a result, Kasinauyo was tasked to put pressure on Kalisto Pasuwa (team coach) to prematurely announce the list of players or leak the list to the syndicate.
It is alleged that they agreed to target three players, a goalkeeper and any other two defenders.
The court heard that Waguta alerted the coach of the plot to bribe the players and fix the matches.
He assured the coach that he would constantly update him with progress of Rushwaya’s plans.
The court heard that after the delay in announcing the list of players, Rushwaya identified Tatenda Mukuruva as the probable goalkeeper. Gorowa phoned Mukuruva inviting him to South Africa purporting that he wanted him for trials with an attempt to lure him into their deal.
It is alleged that Mukuruva informed Pasuwa of the plan again. Pasuwa, it is alleged, constantly received information from Waguta at the same time Kasinauyo kept on pressurising him for the release of the list of players.
As a result, Pasuwa could not contain the pressure and finally informed Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa.
The court heard that on March 10, Zifa chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze called in the police.
Online Reporter