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Cloud Fusire Sports Reporter
ZPC Kariba coach Godfrey Tamirepi is in the eye of a storm amid revelations that the Premiership football club’s management are probing him for alleged underhand dealings in the transfer of players.

Club’s chairperson Fadzai Chisveto confirmed to The Herald they have instituted urgent investigations on the members of the technical team who are accused of demanding kickbacks from new signings and also inflating their signing-on fees.

“We are still in shock upon receiving those allegations. We have urgently contacted the club’s board of governors and we have decided to report the issue to the company’s investigations team.

“The investigations are already underway. We will be in a position to respond and give you some of the findings by the end of this week,” said Chisveto.

According to the evidence in The Herald’s possession, some members of the technical team and the club’s executive were allegedly duping their sponsor, Zimbabwe Power Company, by doubling the signing-on fees.

They were also demanding bribes from players amounting to about 30 percent of the total signing-on fees.

It is alleged Tamirepi has been working in cahoots with his close friend identified as Conrad Nyambabvu to facilitate the negotiations and transactions with all newly signed players.

Nyambabvu, who owns a football team named Ringmer Rovers based in Mufakose, allegedly used his Steward Bank account and EcoCash number to receive money from the signed players.

He would later transfer it via the account of Tamirepi’s wife’s in a bid to cover tracks.

One of the messages allegedly sent to a player by the coach’s middleman on July 28 last year indicated that they are some club executive members who were part of corrupt activities.

“As per agreement, we agreed that when signing-on fees are disbursed you will honour the 30 percent that we agreed and deposit it in Conrad Nyambabvu’s account or his Ecocash number.

“We have bosses waiting for their share,” reads part of the message.

Several club players, who preferred anonymity, alleged that the shenanigans have been happening for a long time.

They said those players who refused to abide by the demands were dropped from the squad.

“When I was signed, we agreed that I would be paid $7 000 signing-on fee.

“But I was later approached by the coach’s middleman and he told me that if people ask about the deal, I should tell them that I have been signed for $12 000.

“But, after the signing-on fee came, I was given $6 000 and when I asked about it, I was told that some of the money was taken up by tax and because I didn’t want to lose my job, I didn’t tell anyone about that,” said the player.

It is also alleged that the coach and his middleman this year connived and signed Nyambabvu’s son, who was off-loaded by the club in 2014, using a different surname as a way of deceiving some of the club hierarchy.

“Steven Nyambabvu is the son of Conrad Nyambabvu and he was off-loaded by the club in 2014 before he joined How Mine.

“They signed him using a different surname so that some of the top executives, who are not part of the illegal deals, would not know.

“He is now registered as Steven Maulani,” said the same source.

One of the fired assistant coaches claimed to have evidence and was ready to testify against the duo that he was fired after he had refused to pay the bribe to keep his job.

Tamirepi’s middleman, Nyambabvu, on April 26 last year confronted the assistant coach and told him that he will be fired at the end of 2018 season.

“Moyo (Tamirepi) called me today and told me that you don’t follow his directives, you undermine him and you have also gone on to condemn his tactics to the supporters, executive and players.

“He didn’t know you, but he respected my choice and gave you the job, but he is not amused by the way you have suddenly turned against him and I can assure you that if you continue doing that you will go down,” reads a text message from Nyambabvu.

Chisveto claimed that they had given a directive to the coach not to speak to the media.