Gwindi's disciplinary case set for conclusion

HARARE City chairman Leslie Gwindi's disciplinary hearing was concluded last Friday evening after his last witness rumoured to be a senior Delta Beverages executive employee failed to turn up.

Zifa lawyer Ralph Maganga said Gwindi's legal counsel advised the hearing the witness (name supplied) would not be able to turn up because of a busy schedule.

The outspoken former PSL secretary general is facing charges of bringing the game of football into disrepute.

Addressing members of the Bulawayo Press Club in March this year the former Dynamos secretary general labelled the Castle Lager PSL sponsorship "as peanuts" and said it should be thoroughly revised.

The remarks reportedly angered the sponsors, Delta Beverages, who wrote to the PSL executive who in turn referred the matter to Zimbabwe Football Association.

Gwindi is facing charges of contravening Section 4.1, 4.2(f) and 4.3 of the Zifa rules and regulations 1996 which deals with "misconduct, betting, bribery, bad language and conduct likely to bring the game of football into disrepute".

Gwindi had already roped in former Zifa chairmen Leo Mugabe and Vincent Pamire to come to his aid as well as the outspoken relegated Motor Action FC director Eric Rosen to assist him in fighting his case.

Maganga said the case was likely to be concluded by 14 December as both defence and prosecution had to make final submissions before a ruling is made by Zifa's Disciplinary Committee.

"Zifa will make their submissions first that is a week from now and then Gwindi has to do the same with the deadline being a week after Zifa have made their closing statements. Thereafter the committee will be in a position to make their ruling," he said.

Part of the charge sheet reads: "On the 8th of March 2013 at the Bulawayo Press Club meeting at Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel, Leslie Gwindi unlawfully and with intent to damage the reputation of the Zimbabwe Football Association board in particular and Zimbabwe football in general, committed an act of misconduct likely to bring the game into disrepute by using bad language and insulting the Premier Soccer League sponsors Delta Beverages (Castle Lager brand), the Zimbabwe Football Association board, the Zimbabwe National Senior Team coach (Klaus Dieter-Pagels) and the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture."

It is not the first time the Harare City chairman is being tried as he was once banned before by previous Zifa administrations including one headed by Mugabe.