Ngarizemo confident of forgery appeal
By Michael Uugwanga
YOUNG African Football Club owner Maleagi Ngarizemo is confident that his team will win its appeal against the Namibia Premier League (NPL)’s decision to relegate his club on 23 January 2019 over the false identification of a Zimbabwean player, after the club registered Tapiwa Simon Musekiwa as Albert Mujikijera by means of a tampered Zimbabwean passport.
On top of the relegation, Young African FC were also slapped with a fine of N$50 000 which Ngarizemo refuses to pay, arguing that many local players do not use their correct names in the league.
Young African has appointed lawyer Gilroy Kasper of Murorua Kurtz Kasper Inc., who will represent them before the Namibia Football Association (NFA)’s Independent Appeals Committee, while the NPL has contracted lawyer KadhilaAmoomo on a reported four-year contract as its legal representative.
As stipulated in the NFA constitution, only the NFA executive committee has the power to give a directive to relegate or promote any club – and not the NPL. But the relegation of Young African was opposed by NPL executive member Dennis Hamunyela, who said similar action was supposed to be taken against African Stars FC, of which Kauta is the chairperson, as the same player (Musekiwa aka Mujikijera) went on to play about six matches for Stars the following season.
According to Article 64.1 of the NPL constitution, “promotion and relegation to and from the NPL and to the first divisions will be in accordance with the NFA manual on rules and relegation.
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Young African FC’s appeal letter states that in line with the NFA constitution, and on account of the fact that there were no rules or guidance dealing with promotion to and or relegation of a team from the Premier League at the time.
Speaking to Confidente Sport following his lawyer’s issuing of the appeal letter, Ngarizemo said his club’s relegation by the NPL was part of a campaign to get his team out of the league, calling it “a conspiracy”.
“My lawyers are doing a great job and I am confident that this ruling will be overturned because in the first place this matter was not dealt with in good faith and it is a witch-hunt and a conspiracy. The whole thing (relegation) was done out of a timeline and in football there is a timeline. Even if we lose the appeal case, where will my team go? There will still be no promotion or relegation.
“The NPL have to adhere to the directive of the NPL. Look at for example the goalkeeper at African Stars (Collin Ndjai) who registered as Baron ‘Itareua’ Ndjai at Tura Magic Football Club and now he is registered as Ratanda Mbazuvara. Why must I pay the N$50 000 while I have appealed? I will not pay,” said Ngarizemo.