Rushwaya not yet off the hook, as Zifa decides to appeal acquittal
The Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) will this week file an appeal with the High Court against the acquittal of their former chief executive officer Henrietta Rushwaya, who was facing nine counts of concealing transactions from a principal.
Rushwaya on Thursday walked scot-free after Chitungwiza regional Magistrate Estere Chivasa ruled that the State had failed to prove its case to warrant a conviction.
Zifa however, insist that Rushwaya remains banned for life from all football activities.
The association's lawyer Ralph Maganga, is expected to obtain the record of proceedings early this week before they formally appeal.
"Once we have studied the ruling, we will file a notice of appeal. We will then file our heads of appeal within 15 days, after the High Court would have received our notice," said Maganga.
In a leaked email of March 8 2012, sent at 3:41pm, one of the Asiagate alleged persons wrote to former Fifa security boss Chris Eaton saying they now had a stranglehold on the judiciary.
"There is nothing to worry about because all systems have been activated and all the responsible guys in the judiciary are now on her [Rushwaya] side and the case is going to be thrown away," read the email.
The Friends of Warriors Club was yesterday fuming over Rushwaya's acquittal.
The group's organising secretary Rinos Rambi said they would petition the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and the Sports, Arts and Culture ministry this week contesting the acquittal.
"The judiciary system should be serious on match-fixing. They should make sure match-fixers are accordingly brought to book," said Rambi.
