Players in fraud storm

Senior Sports Reporter
FOOTBALLERS Herbert Dick and Mkhokheli Dube have been accused of fraud by ambitious Bantu Rovers FC who claim the duo got away with a combined $6,500 in signing on fees but are yet to report for duty.Tshintsha Guluva are said to have given Dube, a former US Major League Soccer player $5,000 in December after the ex-Bosso star had agreed to join them for a season while they campaign for a Premiership slot. Bantu Rovers also advanced $1,500 to Dick who had also made an undertaking to join them.

Dube spent last season at Chicken Inn, finishing the year strongly after Joey Antipas took over from Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu and the striker was at the top of Antipas’ wish list for 2014.

With news filtering that Dube is close to agreeing terms with Chicken Inn, Bantu Rovers who have been training for a month have through their lawyer written to the players demanding to know their position.

Dick has renewed his stay at How Mine where he is also being tipped to become their welfare manager after hanging up his boots.
“Bantu Rovers feel hard-done by Dick and Mkhokheli’s absence from training. The club was even contemplating laying fraud charges because these guys breached promise and in as far as the club is concerned they are AWOL (absent without official leave).

“However, sometime last week or so the club engaged its lawyers to write to the players, demanding that they report for training in 24 hours which they have not done.

“Because the two have been playing hide and seek, the club wants them to explain with regards to the deal and up to today they are yet to respond,” said a source close to both the club and players.

Bantu Rovers have been busy assembling a squad to lead them in their bid to challenge for a Premiership comeback. Founding club president Methembe Ndlovu is back in the technical structure and will be the head coach for the season with Mpofu and former Quelaton gaffer Farai Sibanda assisting him.

Bantu Rovers’ spokesman Wilbert Sibanda confirmed signing the duo but declined to shed more light on legal action that they have taken to recover their money.

“All I can tell you is that we signed Dick and Dube in December and we did our part as the club in honouring our side but they are still to join us.

“On the availability of the players in question, someone has been assigned to find out why they have not been coming for duty,” Sibanda said.

Dick admitted taking Bantu Rovers’ money but said he did not dupe the club.
“I spoke to Bantu Rovers during the off-season and told them that if I don’t get a Premiership offer, I will play for them.  However, How Mine extended my stay and that meant that I was unable to offer my services to Bantu Rovers.

“Yes I took their money, which was meant to be part of the signing on fee but I still have that money and I am going to pay them back. Actually I had intended to do that today because we will be leaving soon for Zanzibar,” said Dick.

Dube said he was driving and asked this reporter to get hold of him in an hour but he was no longer answering his mobile phone.