adminSibanda was manager of the Warriors when they played in the Merdeka Cup in Malaysia in August of 2007. It is the trip that opened the floodgates to several tours that players later undertook to participate in alleged fixed matches and got paid.
Most of them were losses initiated by organised betting and match-fixing syndicates headquartered in Singapore.
Wilson Perumal Raj who served time in a Finland prison from last year to February and is assisting with further investigations into Asian and European match-fixing is believed to have masterminded Zimbabwe’s participation.
In its report the ethics committee led by Justice Ahmed Ebrahim praised Sibanda.
“Ernest Sibanda, the then substantive team manager, was in our view, an honest witness who has been consistent with his evidence, going back to his initial written report to the Gumede Committee and his interview by that committee, his affidavit to the investigator and in his evidence under oath before us,” read the committee report.
The committee said it had difficulties with getting records of trips from Zifa and the same went for Fifa.
Sibanda, the committee noted, was of great assistance as he kept records of the trips that he was involved in.
The former Highlanders player and manager who went on to excel as chairman kept copies of relevant documents, without which it might have been difficult to establish the exact identities of who went to Malaysia.
“He had, for example, a rooming list, and an invitation from the Malaysian FA,” the committee wrote.
Local arrangements for the Malaysian trip were attended to by Zifa programmes manager Jonathan Musavengana.
According to the committee, Sibanda’s last minute call up to be the team manager indicated that information and detail regarding the trips was kept to a few individuals.
Most of the key officials as a result met for the first time at Harare Airport where they were introduced to head of delegation Godfrey Japajapa. Under normal circumstances such meetings are held in camp where the manager familiarises himself with the players and the rest of the travelling party.
The checking of passports was done at the airport. The party was advised by Musavengana that they would get their allowances in Malaysia.
They flew to Malaysia through Singapore. It is there where they met Raj who spoke to Japajapa. The Singaporean had a team with him.
“They managed the itinerary and told us what to do to the extent that I initially thought they were from the Malaysian FA,” Sibanda told the ethics committee.
Zimbabwe played a practice game in Singapore and won with Raj present. Sibanda likened the opposition to a Third Division club football back at home.
After the game they proceeded to Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital where they were booked into a hotel.
Raj arrived soon after and invited key officials of the Zimbabwean team for a drink.
These were Sibanda, Sunday Chidzambwa, Emmanuel Nyahuma, Nathan Makanza, Japajapa and Robson Sharuko. According to the report given to Zifa last week by the ethics committee, it could not be established whether Josh Munthali of Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings had attended the meeting. It is said the Zimbabweans were chauffeur driven in five cars.
Protocol personnel from the Malaysian FA did not come to the airport as was supposed to be the case. Raj and his team were in charge.
The report says the key officials were entertained by 16 women from whom they chose and were given a room to use.
“The key officials were entertained by 16 young women from whom they chose and were provided with a room for use and people were dashing up and down the stairs,” reads part of the report pertaining to the Merdeka Cup trip of 2007.
At the hotel it is said there were three Asian men freely mixing with the players and talking to them. These were booked on the same floor as the players.
The next day the Zimbabwean team trained and then Zifa chairman Wellington Nyatanga arrived and addressed the team.
Before the first match Raj attended the team talk which was attended by even the two journalists who travelled with the team Sharuko and Munthali, except Nyatanga.
“Gentlemen, this is a money game. You should concede two goals in the first half. I will pay $1 000 for each player and $1 500 for the officials,” Raj briefed the Warriors at the team meeting.
According to the report Chidzambwa did not object or react to Raj’s sentiments.
Sibanda said he felt some officials might have known what was happening beforehand. The former Bosso boss even asked when payment would come and Raj advised that at halftime.
The Singaporean appeared to have taken over as coach as Sibanda put it and he kept a laptop on his lap.
Raj sat on the Zimbabwe bench and everyone could hear what he was saying.
Everyone got paid with Zifa set to get $10 000.
It could not be ascertained whether Zifa got their money or whether Nyatanga collected it. But the 2008 Zifa audited statements did not reflect the money from the Merdeka tournament.
Nyatanga has denied receiving the money and no one saw him receiving it. In one of the interviews with Chronicle, then Zifa chief executive officer Henrietta Rushwaya said the association was guaranteed $10 000 from the trips. She even claimed that one of the matches had seen Zifa benefit computers.
The damage to Zimbabwe football as a result of the fixed matches is obviously irreparable.
Online Reporter