We’ll be done in 30 days

Commission has already exonerated the first batch of 30 players from the match -fixing scandal.
Star midfielders Khama Billiat, Willard Katsande and Ovidy Karuru were the high-profile players to be cleared by the committee, paving their return to the national team duties.
The trio featured in the World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers in June and hope was high that more players would be exonerated before the Nations Cup qualifier against Angola.
Zimbabwe, who lost 2-1 to Zambia in an international friendly in Ndola on Wednesday, will host Angola at Rufaro in the first leg on September 9.
Gumbo, who has been appointed the substantive coach, had been hoping to rope in some of the players who are still frozen.
Yesterday, retired Supreme Court Judge Ebrahim pointed out that his committee is working on concluding their findings within the next 30 days before handing their recommendations to Zifa for onward transmission to Fifa.
Ebrahim said they were almost done with their findings until they stumbled upon further information on Monday that could have a bearing on the final report.
In his address to the media yesterday, Ebrahim said the new evidence is likely to help them in their inquiry.
“We had largely completed our hearings, having recorded affidavits and heard oral evidence from some 100 officials, coaches, players and administrators.
“Regrettably, following the further hearing held on Monday August 6, that is no longer the position as a list of a further eight possible witnesses has emerged.
“These witnesses are likely to throw further light on and additional information relating to corrupt, activities which involve some of the football personalities from this country.
“We should be failing in our duty if we did not investigate this further possible information that is now available and ensure that our inquiry is as full and complete as possible,” said Ebrahim.
Ebrahim’s committee met Fifa agent Kudzi Shaba in Harare on Monday.
By the end of their investigations, Ebrahim said they will be sitting on a nearly 1 500 page document, excluding 4 500 e-mails and between 80 to 90 affidavits recorded from witnesses.
“These e-mails paint a picture of illicit activity relating to payments made and promises to fix matches.
“This aspect of evidence does not stand alone. It is bolstered by oral evidence we have received,” he said.   
Since Ebrahim’s Commission was unveiled in October last year, it has failed to move with the expected speed as the investigations have not been smooth-flowing.
Some of the people fingered in the report chose not to present themselves for hearings while some people questioned the impartiality of the investigating committee.
There was also a mix-up in communication between the committee and some players in South Africa who turned up at the Safa offices but found no one from the investigating committee. 
“We should say that we have been faced with considerable obstacles during the course of the inquiry.
“In particular, certain individuals have made every effort to avoid appearing before us to assist us in our deliberations.
“We had to resort to serving them with notices to appear before us, through the offices of the Deputy Sheriff. 
“Even then some have failed to appear. There have been instances of notices being served at the place of business of the person we have wished to interview, but despite this, the concerned person has chosen to ignore such notices,” said Ebrahim.
He said they have also accepted some requests to postpone the hearings from people fingered.
“We have had application for postponement in order to satisfy the requests made from lawyers representing witnesses to attend hearings on dates other than those we have specified.
“We made every effort to satisfy those requests, although there must be a limit to such indulgences being granted,” he said.         
During the course of their investigations, Ebrahim believe most of the people fingered in the report were aware of the hearings and the need for them to come and assist.
“At every turn and every corner, we want to satisfy rules of natural justice.
“We want to give everyone a chance to give his or her side of the story,” he said.
Ebrahim gave said they were guided by the Fifa Disciplinary Code on the approach to be followed when a person fails to assist when being requested to do so.
He cited Article 104, which takes into account the parties’ attitudes during proceedings, especially the manner they co-operate with the judicial bodies and the secretariat.
Ebrahim also gave reference to Article 118 which give the judicial body the leeway to use the files in their possession if the parties fail to appear for a hearing.
While Ebrahim’s Commission has been working on the investigations, former Zifa chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya has made an application before the High Court on the grounds that some members of the committee are allegedly biased and have an interest in the case.
The High Court application was filed in Harare last Thursday.
Ebrahim acknowledged the application but chose not to discuss it at yesterday’s media briefing because the matter was now sub-judice.
Rushwaya, Sunday Chidzambwa, Godfrey Japajapa and Benjani Mwaruwari, represented by Harare lawyer Jonathan Samkange, are questioning the composition of the Commission and their impartiality in dealing with them.
Rushwaya, according to the original report compiled by the Ndumiso Gumede probe team, is fingered as the mastermind of the match fixing scandal along former Zifa programmes officer Jonathan Musavengana.

offices but found no one from the investigating committee.
“We should say that we have been faced with considerable obstacles during the course of the inquiry.
“In particular, certain individuals have made every effort to avoid appearing before us to assist us in our deliberations.
“We had to resort to serving them with notices to appear before us, through the offices of the Deputy Sheriff. 
“Even then some have failed to appear. There have been instances of notices being served at the place of business of the person we have wished to interview, but despite this, the concerned person has chosen to ignore such notices,” said Ebrahim.
He said they have also accepted some requests to postpone the hearings from people fingered.
“We have had application for postponement in order to satisfy the requests made from lawyers representing witnesses to attend hearings on dates other than those we have specified.
“We made every effort to satisfy those requests, although there must be a limit to such indulgences being granted,” he said.
During the course of their investigations, Ebrahim believe most of the people fingered in the report were aware of the hearings and the need for them to come and assist.
“At every turn and every corner, we want to satisfy rules of natural justice.
“We want to give everyone a chance to give his or her side of the story,” he said.
Ebrahim gave said they were guided by the Fifa Disciplinary Code on the approach to be followed when a person fails to assist when being requested to do so.
He cited Article 104, which takes into account the parties’ attitudes during proceedings, especially the manner they co-operate with the judicial bodies and the secretariat.
Ebrahim also gave reference to Article 118 which give the judicial body the leeway to use the files in their possession if the parties fail to appear for a hearing.
While Ebrahim’s Commission has been working on the investigations, former Zifa chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya has made an application before the High Court on the grounds that some members of the committee are allegedly biased and have an interest in the case.
The High Court application was filed in Harare last Thursday.
Ebrahim acknowledged the application but chose not to discuss it at yesterday’s media briefing because the matter was now sub-judice.
Rushwaya, Sunday Chidzambwa, Godfrey Japajapa and Benjani Mwaruwari, represented by Harare lawyer Jonathan Samkange, are questioning the composition of the Commission and their impartiality in dealing with them.
Rushwaya, according to the original report compiled by the Ndumiso Gumede probe team, is fingered as the mastermind of the match fixing scandal along former Zifa programmes officer Jonathan Musavengana.