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Philip Chiyangwa

Fungai Lupande: Court Reporter

The Zimbabwe Football Association (zifa) president Philip Chiyangwa was on Friday advised to come in person to court if he wishes to withdraw charges against former Zimbabwe Women’s Soccer League chairperson Miriam Sibanda and her two accomplices. Harare magistrate Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro said this after Sibanda (54), Benny Mamoche (45) and Fungai Magoswongwe (35) tendered a letter of withdrawal of the charges purportedly from zifa.The prosecutor, Mrs Leonellah Chitanda-Matowa refused to accept the letter and insisted that Chiyangwa should come to court to withdraw the charges in person. The matter was postponed to this Friday to allow regularisation of the withdrawal.

Sibanda, Mamoche and Magoswongwe are facing theft of trust property. The trio is accused of stealing $20 000 meant to buy tickets for the Mighty Warriors team to fly to Ghana.

Ruling on the trio’s application for referral to the Constitutional Court was set aside pending the withdrawal.

In their application, they said Mrs Guwuriro placed them on their defence in the absence of their lawyer Mr Blessing Bhala, and refused to accept a letter from him explaining his absence.

They submitted that the magistrate did not explain the rules of the procedure and evidence, regarding the defence case. It is alleged that the trio had the responsibility of sourcing for donations for the national team. They allegedly approached Freda Rebecca Mine in Bindura and requested a donation in cash to cater for air tickets for the Mighty Warriors trip to Ghana.

It is alleged that they received a $20 000 from Freda Rebecca Mine.

However, the money was not remitted to zifa finance manager, instead the trio allegedly shared it among themselves.