New twist to Centralgate

interesting twist yesterday when it was claimed that some crucial documents in the case have disappeared.
Tripple B chairman, Edward Kanyangu, yesterday expressed his fears and made sensational claims that some important documents could have vanished after the Zifa Appeals Committee once again failed to release the much awaited verdict on Hardbody’s appeal against the docking of 42 points.

Hardbody were docked the points after they were found guilty by the Central Region Disciplinary Committee on 14 counts of using an improperly registered player, Tatenda Chingarah, during their campaign.
The club, however, have since lodged an appeal.
Judgment on the matter was originally expected on Friday but that did not happen as one of the Zifa Appeals Committee’s members failed to turn up because of a family bereavement.

The committee then postponed the release of the judgment to Monday but, once again, nothing was done.
Kanyangu expressed fears that they could be heading for a longer period of anxiety and said the club was disturbed by the delays in the passing of the judgment.
Kanyangu yesterday charged that Triple B had been informed that some key documents had vanished, which could be one of the reasons for the delay.

“We are wondering why it’s taking this long and it’s now not clear exactly what is happening.
“It’s even more disturbing because we hear from our people in Harare that some papers have gone missing,” said Kanyangu.
The Appeals Committee chairman, Tim Sangarwe, and Zifa legal advisor, Ralph Maganga, were not reachable to shed light on the reasons for the delay in the release of the judgment.

Zifa Communications manager, Nicky Dhlamini Moyo, while acknowledging the verdict was yet to be released, could not give reasons.
Hardbody officials, led by club chairman Patrick Chikwanda, waited in vain at the Zifa offices in Harare to get a copy of the judgment.
They are now calling for a speedy resolution of the matter.

“No one at Zifa seemed to know what was happening and we were told maybe the verdict was still being typed.
“We tried calling the members of the Appeals committee but nothing came through except suggestions that the verdict was not ready,” said Chikwanda.
Chingarah was alleged to have been registered improperly by Hardbody in the 2011 season after the now defunct Big Valley Masters issued him with a clearance. Interestingly, Chingarah played for Big Valley Masters under a different name.

Hardbody are also up in arms with Tripple B’s decision to engage Harare lawyer, Misheck Hogwe, as part of their defence team.
Hogwe, claims the Hardbody officials, is a member of the Zifa Northern Region Disciplinary committee.

Chikwanda said they fear Hogwe’s involvement is in inappropriate because of possible conflict of interest.
The busmen queried how a “Zifa prosecuting officer at a regional level can represent a club at the appeals committee” and immediately raised the issue with Zifa on Monday afternoon.
“We have received allegations that a member of the Tripple B defense team is a member of the Disciplinary Committee in one of the Division 1 leagues,” said Hardbody in their letter.

“The member in question Mr. Hungwe (Hogwe) led the Tripple B defence team at the appeals hearing held on Friday 9 December 2011.
“It is our conclusion that this allegation requires urgent and thorough investigation by the Zifa management to restore Fair Play to these proceedings.”
Hardbody said they only realised the anomaly last Friday when it emerged that Hogwe was part of the disciplinary team that heard a dispute involving Dstv and Harare City over the use of Webster Muronda.

The boardroom battle has delayed the crowning of the league’s champions who will get the sole ticket for promotion into the Premiership next season.