NEW: ZIFA audit findings: SRC to engage ZRP, ZACC, RBZ, Zimra

17 Nov, 2022 - 18:11 0 Views
NEW: ZIFA audit findings: SRC to engage ZRP, ZACC, RBZ, Zimra

The Sunday Mail

Online Reporter

SPORTS and Recreation Commission (SRC) chairperson Gerald Mlotshwa says they will now engage authorities such as the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), Zimra and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZAD to try and recover over US$600 000 in accounted transactions made by ZIFA’s Felton Kamambo-led board.

Mlotshwa released the much-awaited 54-page report on Thursday.

BDO Zimbabwe Chartered Accountants, who conducted the audit, indicated in the report that they could not access critical information on the association’s transactions from two financial institutions, who were among ZIFA’s key bankers.

It is believed that the information would have assisted auditors to establish recipients of varying sums of money withdrawn from ZIFA’s accounts held with the banks.

The SRC has now decided to engage the RBZ, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) and police to get to the bottom of the matter.

The audit, however, lifts a lid on some questionable transactions at ZIFA.

For example, a company owned by ZIFA councillor Marshal Jonga was contracted to supply football equipment and was fully paid, but some of the goods are yet to be delivered to the association.

Misappropriation of FIFA grants, including Covid-19 relief aid, was also unearthed in the audit report, with former ZIFA CEO Joseph Mamutse cited for withdrawing cash amounting to US$30 000 on three occasions.

But the transactions were not found in ZIFA accounting records.

No supporting documents were availed to show how the funds were used.

ZIFA’s acting president Gift Banda, who attended the media conference, said he would only comment about the audit once it is discussed by the board.

“I can’t pre-empt anything here, because we will sit as a board and this audit report will be tabled,” he said.

The ZIFA board is now expected to table the report at their next meeting before it is taken to Congress for discussion and adoption.

The forensic audit was one of the key undertakings by SRC, through the ZIFA Restructuring Committee, to cleanse eliminate malfeasance and corruption in the administration of local football.

Mlotshwa also told the media conference on Thursday that he feels Zimbabwe has to cleanse its football first before thinking of readmission into FIFA.

ZIFA were suspended from all international football activities by FIFA in February in the wake of the November 16, 2021 suspension of the Kamambo-led executive by the SRC.

FIFA insisted that the SRC had to reinstate the ZIFA board.

Kamambo, Philemon Machana (board member finance) and Bryton Malandule were recalled by the ZIFA Congress in April following a revocation of their mandates.

According to Mlotshwa, Kamambo is no longer part of ZIFA because he was recalled through a constitutional process – the EGM – hence cannot be reinstated.

“Let’s us allow the process to unfold so that when we return back to FIFA we will be clean,” Mlotshwa added.

“The intention is to fix football administration in Zimbabwe, and not to just please FIFA. Let’s not be beholden to FIFA, if we do that, the game will never improve.”

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