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Robson Sharuko Senior Sports Editor
FORMER ZIFA treasurer Fabian Vanganayi says he once took $21 090 in cash from the association’s funds on a night trip to the University of Zimbabwe where he was studying, in a graphic revelation of the shocking culture of how funds were being handled at the country’s football governing body which had slipped into bankruptcy.

As skeletons continue to tumble from the closet, in what the current leadership have dubbed “ZIFA Capture” in which they claim that over a million dollars could have been misappropriated from the association, Vanganayi says he was — at one stage — forced to work from the kitchen at the association’s headquarters after some officials took hold of keys to the main office.

He claimed only former ZIFA chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze and finance manager Benjamin Dhewa had the keys to the main offices at 53 Livingstone Avenue during that time.

The damning information is contained in a troll of messages which Vanganayi used to send to ZIFA vice-president Omega Sibanda during a period stretching for more than two years after he had seemingly gained the confidence of the Bulawayo-based official.

According to the damning messages, which are now in the hands of this newspaper:

l He claimed a former ZIFA official once withdrew the entire ZIFA account and deposited it into his personal account and Vanganayi asks in his message as to how much “this official” made overnight burning and banking ZIFA money illegally (and, if) that is corporate governance?

l On June 6, 2016, at 7.06am he sent a text to Sibanda in which he told him that “ndine cash yandinayo and I prefer to hand it over to you after I’m through with my exams that I’m writing right now (because) after yesterday midnight I don’t (trust) any other person with this money . . . except you and president (Philip Chiyanga).

l The following day he sent another text to Sibanda saying “they gave me $21 090 saying it was meant for salaries late last night when I was (going) to study and it appears it was a set-up to tarnish my image. I will leave everything to God. I have so much respect for you and the president (Chiyangwa). I will never do anything and you have my word. But I’m hearing that the president was on StarFM mbavha kuenda nemari ku UZ. VP I never stile anything, I explained all to (ZIFA board member finance, Philemon) Machana. I’m begging you VP. I don’t want people to force me to react and defend myself. If it was not for you I hold very important information for the organisation. They set me up, yes, but they must not provoke me. I will always be yours VP, no matter what.

l He claimed a “third party” wants me to write a financial defence for Mr Mash (former ZIFA chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze). I need your guidance. I’m not allowed by accounting ethics to discuss the financial status of my employers, current or former, without express authority.

l On June 24, 2016, he sent another text to Sibanda at 18.06pm in which he claims that the ZIFA vice-president and the Association boss Chiyangwa were his “role models, fearless, speak your mind and above all you are all principled (and) I will continue to learn from you.

Vanganayi, according to those messages, expresses his disappointment on July 19, last year, when he claims that Sibanda is ignoring him with a text message sent at 16.28 which reads, “baba murikundirwadzisa kusataura neni, musandirase VP, I always say I’m at your disposal (and) I was hoping to meet you before you went back (to Bulawayo).

He keeps insisting he was set up.

“I still maintain I was set up to tarnish my image and I will do everything possible legally to clear my name, character and profession,’’ he said in another text message.

“VP, I feel betrayed. I have been very loyal to you but you are now letting me fall in the hands of predators, political chancers who want to use me.

“You might have received summons, yes, because I want to prove (my) innocence and that can only be done by the courts. All this does not remove my loyalty because I still maintain my innocence.

“I have so much respect for you, I think you know when I sued you and Mr Machana I never made it public out of respect. But I was offended when my name started to be defamed in the media. We will find each other, we can’t (let) all this nonsense to continue dividing us.

“It is not fair to continue mentioning my name in the ZIFA debt. I found Mamutse, Dhewa, Chifamba already there, these (people) dealt directly with creditors and if you check ZIFA accounts (that is) if you have them at all you will discover the time I joined the debt had already shot up.

“VP, keep your ears to the ground. Mash (Mashingaidze) is returning to ZIFA through back door. He has already written the election manifesto for a team that includes very popular football legends. This time there is only one presidential candidate and VP. I was inducted today October 31, 2017.

“Come 2018 you will all be gone and ZIFA will have a new leadership so please don’t tamper with the autonomy of PSL and other affiliates

“Boss, each time we discuss something I’m confronted. Someone is leaking the conversations, a lot is happening on the ground and will talk when at a free place.’’

Vanganayi then talks of having fallen on hard times since he was forced out of ZIFA by the current football leadership.

“VP, ndazotambura,’’ he texted on October 31 at 13.51.

“I had a waiver in Botswana and it expired. Permit haisi kubuda. Forgive me VP, it’s really cold outside ZIFA.

“Baba chindibhadaraiwo ma salary arrears angu ndisayane neZIFA. Baba extend my apologies to yourself, the president and Mr Machana. I was very emotional of the way the association treated me since 5 June 2016 to date.

“I want to assure you I have ceased to be part of the fights against (your) leadership.’’

The last message was sent on February 21 this year at 12.54 even though Vanganayi claimed at the weekend that he has never extended an olive branch to the ZIFA leadership and instead suggested that it was the local football governing body’s leaders who were trying to blackmail him using some financial incentives.

However, his messages show a man who has been battling to try and win back the confidence of those who are leading domestic football and even went to the extent of applying again for the job of ZIFA treasurer at some point.

Despite his public statements attacking the ZIFA leaders, in private he has been describing them, before his charm offensive failed, as his “role models,’’ who are “fearless, speak your minds and above all are principled.’’

What is even more damning is Vanganayi’s suggestion that “it’s cold outside ZIFA.’’

Sibanda said he had kept all the text messages he had been exchanging with the former ZIFA treasurer because he always believed they would come handy one day since, by bombarding him with the messages, he had failed to understand his mission.