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Callisto Pasuwa

Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
PREMIERSHIP champions Dynamos and their history-making former coach Callisto Pasuwa are headed for a legal showdown over the gaffer’s outstanding salary with the Labour Court in Harare setting March 3 as the date on which the matter will be heard. Pasuwa, through his lawyers, is demanding $22 000 from Dynamos being the arrears he claims are emanating from outstanding bonuses and salaries that were due to the coach by the end of December last year.

The 44-year-old coach ended his four-year stint as Dynamos head coach at the expiry of his contract on December 31 and has since taken a sabbatical from club coaching, revealing that he is looking at furthering his credentials by attaining a Uefa B Licence badge.

Pasuwa made history when he led the Harare giants to four successive Castle Lager Premiership titles since his arrival at the Glamour Boys in August 2011.

It is a feat that no other local coach has achieved.

Pasuwa’s lawyers Coglan, Welsh and Guest wrote to Dynamos secretary-general, Webster Chikengezha, advising them that they had been instructed to demand payment of the outstanding salaries and bonuses.

In their letter, Coglan, Welsh and Guest had set January 16 as the date by which Dynamos were to deposit the money into the lawyers’ trust account.

But that date passed without DeMbare making any payment or officially responding to the lawyers, setting the stage for a legal battle between the club and the coach. That legal battle has now been set for the Labour Court in Harare on March 3.

The Harare lawyers also indicated that an officer at the Dynamos accounts office, identified as Chikomo, had also confirmed the outstanding amount through a schedule of payments he had compiled and signed for.

“We represent your former coach Callisto Pasuwa and kindly note our interest,” the lawyers said.

“Our client informs us that he was engaged by Dynamos Football Club as a head coach from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2014. During this period, various monetary contractual obligations were not honoured by your club as shown by annexure B hereto attached, which was compiled by a Mr. Chikomo from your accounts office.

“We are instructed to demand, as we hereby do, the payment of US$18 954 being the capital due, interest of US$1 895.40 at 5% per annum and our collection commission of US$1 098.85 as prescribed by the Law Society of Zimbabwe by-laws.

“Total due is US$21 948.25.

“If we do not receive payment on or before 16 January 2015, we will be left with no option except to litigate and legal costs may be to your account.”

Pasuwa’s legal practitioners said they were prepared to discuss a payment plan with Dynamos who are reportedly struggling for funding.

Dynamos president Kenny Mubaiwa last night confirmed receipt of the notice to appear at the Labour Court and said his management was ready to go and defend their position.

Mubaiwa also claimed that Pasuwa was still in possession of some Dynamos equipment and argued that the figure being demanded by the coach could eventually be reduced if they took into account what they believe the coach owes them.

“We have a notice to go to court on 3 March and we will argue our case out. When he (Pasuwa) left the club he had some property that he had with him which he is still to hand back to the club. We were hoping that he would do a proper hand-over-and-take-over but that did not happen.

“We also hoping that he would at the handover of the equipment then also tell us that we owe him much but that surrender did not take place and we are now actually considering making a counter claim using the value of what we think he owes us,’’ Mubaiwa said.

“I think the biggest problem that is there is that of a breakdown in communication because when we looked for him he was nowhere to be found.

“So, from what I see, this matter can eventually be resolved amicably through communicating and unfortunately now we have to that communication before the legal experts in the court.

“We are prepared to resolve this matter and if we have money we will immediately pay him if we don’t we will make a payment plan but we are saying he must also acknowledge that he owes us some equipment and property, including a car, and we are saying we will work out how much we owe him if we subtract the value of the equipment he has,’’ Mubaiwa said.