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and the public are barred amid fears that publicity will compromise witnesses’ testimonies.
Officials have been barred from speaking to the media or discussing the issues.
“The hearings officially commenced yesterday and the chief prosecutor gave an opening address to the committee explaining the findings of their investigations.
“He also announced the people who would be charged under the current process and those who have been exonerated,” an official said yesterday.
Chief prosecutor Advocate Lewis Uriri leads the prosecution team with the assistance of Advocates Zvikomborero Chadambuka and Deepak Mehta.
An official said yesterday: “Yes the hearings started today (yesterday) and are expected to continue tomorrow at 8:30am where most of the people implicated in the scandal would start appearing before the committee.”
He, however, said while people could see those going into the hearing no one will be allowed to enter the rooms.
“There is a general fear that if the hearings are made public or published in the media this could influence some witnesses or those dragged before the committee to alter their testimonies,” he said.
The matter is also being treated as a security issue.
The committee is, however, expected to issue its first public statement on Sunday.
The Press conference to update the nation on the proceedings is scheduled for 2:30 pm at the venue of the hearings.
Foreign-based players implicated in the scandal are expected to start trooping into the country this week.
The hearings are expected to last for three weeks. The Zifa Independence Ethics Committee was established in October last year.
Over 100 players and officials have been implicated in the scandal, which unfolded between 2007 and 2009.
The players and officials have been suspended from taking part in national team duties until they are cleared by the committee.
leeroy