By Darlington Gatsi
SCOTTLAND FC, owned by ZANU PF legislator Pedzai Scott Sakupwanya is embroiled in a match-fixing scandal following its recent 7-0 victory against Norton Community FC.
Scottland is vying for a spot in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) and the win positioned them well in the standings, especially after MWOS FC dropped points on the same matchday.
In response, Norton Community FC is investigating some players and executive members who may have influenced the result.
The Club has suspended Clemence Masunda, Willard Nguwoyembwa, Brandon Bere (Goal Keeper), Tafadzwa Kuyerukana (Executive Member) and Patrick Nyamayaro (Executive Member) for match-fixing.
“We have a player who is involved who is the goalkeeper then there are two executive members and coaches,” said a source in Norton Community FC camp.
The latest scandal mars the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) Northern Region whose chairman, Martin Kweza is reportedly angling for the presidency of football’s mother body.
Currently, ZIFA Northern Region is seized with a case of an abandoned match between Scottland FC and Karoi United.
The match-fixing allegations emerged when the Norton Community FC officials confronted the team frothing with anger.
“What happened is the goalkeeper admitted to having one of the executive members approach him with money saying it had come from the other team. The amount I think was US$300 then he refused to take it. When the goalkeeper refused the money he did not know that they were on the same side.
“The executive member then called the chairman to say that he was given money but the goalkeeper refused. If the goalkeeper had not refused we do not know what could have happened.
“We noticed that there are some people who were left wanting like the executive member that we are talking about is the one who received the money and came with it to our player and he was spotted to have paid.
“He admitted in the meeting that we held that he received money and attempted to give it to the goalkeeper. When the chairman complained, the player said, ‘I’m not the only player. We are plenty’. So far we have five names.
“We have a police officer within our team. Those people are well-trained to investigate. As soon as the investigations are over they will be published,” said the source.
