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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter

THE Sports and Recreation Commission and the National Prosecuting Authority have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in a historic move expected to fight crime and corruption in sport in Zimbabwe.

The MoU paves way for the prosecution of sporting and recreational crimes and offenses.

Sports Commission chairperson, Gerald Mlotshwa, today said as a nation, Zimbabwe has had its fair share of sports-related corruption and other forms of crime.

“Today as we witness the signing of this MoU between the NPA and the SRC, we must remain mindful of the main objective of this initiative – that is the fight against corruption in the administration of sport and recreation in Zimbabwe.

“With respect to this MoU, the SRC and NPA can now implement various initiatives to capacitate and empower prosecuting officers on handling sport and recreation crimes such as age-cheating, doping, match-fixing, flouting of general laws, including court orders, to cite but a few examples.

“This MoU is the first step towards the enacting of various pieces of new legislation all focused on ensuring for the betterment of sports governance and the eradication of corruption and other forms of crime from our sport,” said Mlotshwa.

Prosecutor General, Kumbirai Hodzi, said the MoU is a manifestation of the Government’s efforts to eradicate crime and corruption in sport.

Prosecutor-General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi

“It will help foster cooperation between the National Prosecuting Authority, whose mandate is to fight crime and corruption, and the Sports and Recreation Commission whose function, amongst others, is to co-ordinate, control, develop and foster the activities of sport and recreation.

“Above all, it will facilitate the training of prosecutors and ensure that they are adequately capacitated to prosecute sporting and recreation offences,” said Hodzi.

The signing ceremony was graced by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who commended the two parties for coming together to fight corruption and crime that negatively affect sport.