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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter—

ZIFA have maintained that former officials Henrietta Rushwaya, Edzai Kasinauyo and coach Nation Dube remain banned from football despite being acquitted in the Limpopogate match-fixing trial which concluded at the Harare Magistrates courts on Tuesday.The trio was among the five people who were banned by the association earlier this year for their roles in an alleged match-fixing cartel that targeted the Warriors’ 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and games in the South Africa Premiership.

Former ZIFA chief executive Rushwaya was slapped with a life ban while ex-board member Kasinauyo got a 10-year ban and Dube, who was Callisto Pasuwa’s assistant in the Warriors set up, was given a five-year censure.

The trio, however, had their match-fixing case, which had been pending at the courts since March, determined by Harare magistrate Lucy Mungwari who ruled that there was no evidence linking them to the offences.

ZIFA legal advisor Itai Ndudzo yesterday said the court ruling was completely inconsequential to the decisions that were carried by the executive committee and endorsed by the assembly.

Ndudzo said ZIFA did their own investigations and came up with their verdict and what happened at the courts had no effect on the processes at the association.

“The outcome of that case at the courts is completely inconsequential and irrelevant to the decisions that have already been taken using football statutes. There are two unrelated issues here and ZIFA have got nothing to do with what happened at the courts.

“You also probably have to understand that when a court says you have been acquitted it doesn’t always mean you are innocent. It only means that the State has not found sufficient evidence to prosecute you.

“ZIFA went through it’s own disciplinary processes using football statutes and came up with their own findings. The decisions taken by the executive committee were endorsed by the Congress and that is binding.

“Also note that in respect of some of these people like Kasinauyo, he has approached the higher courts on three different occasions seeking that his case be heard urgently and also challenging his suspension, but on all occasions the courts found no merit in his argument, which only helped to strength that there was nothing wrong with the findings from the ZIFA executive committee and the congress,” said Ndudzo.

But ZIFA could face more legal challenges.

Kasinauyo yesterday said he was relieved with the outcome of the criminal charges and was still consulting on the way forward.

His lawyer Harrison Nkomo indicated that they were preparing papers to clear their client’s name.

Speaking to The Herald yesterday, Kasinauyo, who has always maintained innocence, said he felt a huge burden was lifted from his back. The former Warriors winger said his family had also gone through the most difficult period because of the case.

“It’s such a relief. It’s been the most stressful time of my life and I am happy the courts have made a ruling. My family had gone through a lot of stress because of that. They have been reading about it in the newspapers and it was difficult for everyone. I have two kids and they have always been asking ‘daddy what’s going on with this issue?’

“In the end it put pressure on me. Again, the whole process was costly because you had lawyers who wanted to be paid for something that you know you have not done.

“But I was surprised by the support that I got from the football world. There were people who trusted that I couldn’t do such a thing and they stood by me. I am grateful to them.

“So for now I have to wait for the dust to settle. I wouldn’t want to say much on what I am going to do next because I might say things out of emotions. I need to consult a lot,” said Kasinauyo.