THE Fifa Ethics Committee has recommended a life ban for former Zifa development officer, Jonathan Musavengana over his involvement in bribery and corruption.
BY HENRY MHARA
In a report released yesterday, the world football governing body’s investigatory chamber proposed that Musavengana, together with former Togo coach, Banna Tchanile, be banned for life for violating the Fifa Ethics Code in relation with match-fixing.
The report also called for a ban of no less than six years and a fine of no less than 10 000 Swiss francs (about US$10 400) for former South African Football Association president, Kirsten Nematandani, for match-fixing.
This follows the conclusion of investigations by the deputy chairman of the investigatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee, Djimbaraye Bourngar, stating that several international friendly matches played in South Africa ahead of the 2010 World Cup, were fixed by the trio.
“The deputy chairman of the investigatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee, Djimbaraye Bourngar, has concluded his investigations into the activities of Kirsten Nematandani, former president of the South African Football Association (Safa), Jonathan Musavengana, former official of the Zimbabwe Football Association, and Banna Tchanile, former coach of the national team of Togo,” the Fifa statement read. “As chief of investigation, Bourngar submitted the respective reports, including the relevant recommendations together with the investigation files, to the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, which is chaired by Hans-Joachim Eckert. The investigations into the three individuals were initiated in relation to their specific conduct in the organisation of several international friendly matches played in South Africa in 2010.
“The chief of investigation recommends the sanction of a ban for no less than six years and a fine of no less than CHF 10 000 for Nematandani for an apparent violation of art. 13 pars 1-4 (General Rules of Conduct), art. 15 (Loyalty) and art. 18 (Duty of Disclosure, Co-operation and Reporting) of the Fifa Code of Ethics (FCE). Furthermore, he recommends the sanction of a lifelong ban for both Musavengana and Tchanile for the apparent breach of art. 13 pars 1-4 and art. 21 pars 1 and 3 (bribery and corruption) of the FCE.”
However, until a formal decision is taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, the accused are presumed innocent, the Fifa committee said.
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Fifa believes that at least one of South Africa’s friendly games in the weeks ahead of the continent’s first World Cup was fixed by the referee.
Musavengana was allegedly the middleman in arranging corrupt referees to handle the matches.
The officials were linked to a company controlled by Singaporean match-fixer, Wilson Raj Perumal to appoint the referees for the games.
Fifa hasn’t identified the game or games in question, but South Africa’s 2-1 win over Colombia and 5-0 win over Guatemala a couple of weeks before the opening of the World Cup, were subject of suspicion.
All three goals in the South Africa-Colombia game came via penalty kicks. There was a collection of bizarre refereeing decisions in the South Africa-Guatemala game.
The match was refereed by Niger official, Ibrahim Chaibou, who has also been implicated in other allegedly fixed games.
Even to the casual fan, his calls were suspicious — he called two penalties for hand ball even though the ball went nowhere near the players’ hands.
South Africa’s game against Colombia, and an earlier 4-0 win over Thailand in another pre-World Cup friendly, were both refereed by Langat Kipngetich of Kenya.
It is believed that some Safa officials eventually suspected what was happening and prevented Perumal’s referees from taking control of later World Cup warm-up games.
Zimbabwe played a goalless friendly match against Japan, who were preparing for the World Cup, in George, South Africa — a match that was also alleged to have been fixed.
This is not the first time that Musavengana has been implicated in match-fixing allegations.
Together with former Zifa chief executive officer, Henrietta Rushwaya, they were named as the main actors in the Asia match-fixing scandal, where Warriors players were allegedly paid money to throw matches in Asia.
Musavengana and Rushwaya were both banned for life for their alleged roles in the scandal, but the sanctions were never ratified by Fifa.
He was also recently named as part of a syndicate that is reported to have targeted Warriors’ Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Swaziland.
Other individuals allegedly involved in the foiled attempt include Rushwaya, former Zifa board member, Edzai Kasinauyo, former Warriors coaches Ian Gorowa and Nation Dube.
