TFF officials appear before Kisutu Court

        Dar es Salaam. Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) officials Juma Matandika and Martin Chacha who are accused of corruption appeared before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

The duo were charged for soliciting Sh25 million from Salum Kalunge and Constantine Morandi, the Geita Regional Football Association and Geita Gold Sports Club officials, respectively.

The money, according to prosecution, was meant to influence decisions that would favour Geita Gold SC to get promoted to the Vodacom Premier League.

The accused, who were before Resident Magistrate Huruma Shaidi, denied the charges and were released on bail until November 30 when the case will come up for preliminary hearing following completion of investigation, according to the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) prosecution led by Leonard Swai.

Reading the charge, Swai alleged that, on February 4, 2016 at the TFF headquarters in Dar es Salaam, the accused, being employees of the federation, corruptly solicited Sh25 million.

He alleged that the money was to be used to influence the TFF and Tanzania Migration Department to decide against Polisi Tabora FC with a view to assisting Geita Gold SC to win promotion to the topflight league.

According to the prosecution, the accused committed the offence contrary to section 15(1) (a) and (2) of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Act number 11 of 2007.

After denying the charge, the court ordered them to secure two reliable sureties who will sign a bond of Sh5 million.

Geita Gold later faced the fury of the TFF after their hopes of playing in the Premier League this season were blown away in the wind as the team together with Polisi Tabora and JKT Oljoro were relegated to the second division for match-fixing.

The teams, which were all from Group C of the First Division League, were found blameworthy of match fixing committed in their final group’s games in which Polisi Tabora thumped JKT Oljoro 7-0 as Geita Gold thrashed JKT Kanembwa 8-0 on the same day.

TFF’s disciplinary committee also further relegated JKT Kanembwa to a regional level league (RCL) effective from this season.