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Kasinauyo's bid to clear name suffers setback

by Sports Reporter
07 May 2016 at 20:12hrs | Views
FORMER ZIFA board member Edzai Kasinauyo suffered another setback in his bid to clear his name on match-fixing allegations after the court case challenging his provisional suspension from the association was yesterday dismissed as not urgent.

The High Court advised Kasinauyo to exhaust all the internal remedies as provided by the ZIFA constitution.

The former Warriors midfielder is seeking the nullification of his expulsion from the ZIFA board and had wanted the matter to be heard at the High Court urgently.

Harare lawyer Keith Magorimbo, who represented the association under instructions from ZIFA lawyer Itayi Ndudzo, yesterday said the matter was struck off the roll of urgent matters.

"We were at the courts today (yesterday) to get the feedback from the judge because there were submissions that were done to determine whether the case was urgent or not.

"The judge found that the matter was not urgent on the basis that there are some internal remedies as provided by the ZIFA constitution that the applicant has to exhaust first before approaching the courts.

"The fact that he is on provisional suspension, the constitution says his case will be taken to the Congress where he will be given the opportunity to explain himself and convince the Assembly.

"So it means he must wait for the Congress where his fate will be decided.

"Even if he feels he has not got a remedy within ZIFA, he can also approach FIFA or the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland," said Magorimbo.

Kasinauyo, who could be charged for his alleged role in a match-fixing syndicate targeting Warriors matches and some Absa Premiership games, was provisionally expelled in March, pending expulsion.

However, his lawyers feel that the Harare businessman has been treated unfairly and are challenging the legality of his expulsion.

The ex-footballer has maintained his innocence and has taken his battle to the courts.

But his decision to approach the courts was also deemed to be in violation of the association's constitution Article 60 (1), which led to his dismissal by the Philip Chiyangwa leadership.

The board's recommendation is set to be tabled at the Congress on July 4 and a vote will be carried whether to uphold the decision to axe the former footballer.

Kasinauyo was named in an intricate match-fixing plot that also involved former Zifa employees Henrietta Rushwaya and former Warriors coaches Ian Gorowa and Nation Dube.

But he has challenged ZIFA to produce evidence that he was part of the shadowy syndicate and to nullify his suspension.

Source - the herald