THE probe into an alleged match-fixing and betting scandal rocking Zimbabwean football has claimed a second scalp after ZIFA’s marketing officer Harry Taruva was suspended on Monday.

ZIFA president Cuthbert Dube said Taruva had been suspended over a string of allegations including interfering with the investigation, misappropriating funds and issuing “irresponsible” statements.

Taruva’s suspension follows that of ZIFA CEO Henrietta Rushwaya, accused of organising with Asian betting syndicates to fix matches involving the Zimbabwe national team, notably in December last year when the country toured Asia.

In a letter to Taruva on Monday, Dube said: “This letter serves to inform you that you are hereby suspended from your position as Marketing Officer of ZIFA with immediate effect. The suspension follows serious allegations of misconduct bordering on criminality, more specifically in that you allegedly:

“(a) Converted ZIFA accreditation cards funds into your own use, (b) Made irresponsible statements in your capacity as the Youth Olympic manager, (C) Interfered and continue to interfere with investigations into the Asia trip.

“The suspension has been necessitated by the serious nature of the allegations and the need for the investigation into the said issues to be carried out without hindrance.”

Taruva was the team manager of the Under 15 team which will be participating at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore later this month and is alleged to have told the media that ZIFA was too broke to finance the team’s preparations.

The letter also states that: “By virtue of the said suspension, you have also been relieved of your duties as the Under 15 team manager with immediate effect.

“You shall not be permitted to visit the ZIFA offices or interfere with investigations and witnesses more particularly, but not limited to ZIFA employees and national team players.”