- Disgruntled Chiefs faction leaked regional receipts to TAFIC – source
- The faction also urged Sankoyo to file a case against Chiefs
BONGANI MALUNGA
Reports reaching Gazette Sport suggest that factional wars at Mochudi Centre Chiefs are to blame for the current controversy between the Kgatleng giants and TAFIC. TAFIC, through a letter authored by their lawyers, stated that they were in possession of receipts to support their case that Chiefs affiliated to the Kgatleng Regional Football Association as a trust and not a society.
For this reason, TAFIC are of the view that Chiefs’ affiliation was irregular and their participation in the recently ended season was illegal, they asked the Botswana Premier League to expel Chiefs from the league and reinstate them.
A highly placed source has stated that the club’s factional wars are still alive and that there is a disgruntled faction which has leaked regional payment receipts to TAFIC to help their case. The source claims that the faction requested to be kept informed about Chiefs’ transition and to find out if the club’s affiliation was normalised. They were reportedly given access to documents including receipts, it was at this point that they took the receipts according to the source and they leaked them to TAFIC.
Additional information from the source suggests that the faction also approached Sankoyo Bush Bucks after the clubs’ April encounter and urged them to file a protest against Chiefs citing that the Kgatleng club had an irregular affiliation which rendered their players defaulters. Sankoyo reportedly refused to follow the faction’s orders and dismissed the idea. They then turned their attention to TAFIC according to the source.
Reached for comment, Kgatleng region chairman and Chiefs manager Clifford Mogomotsi stated that their position remains the same, they believe TAFIC was misinformed by those with ulterior motives.
“TAFIC did not follow the right channels, they should have consulted us as well as the Kgatleng region, or at least notified us as a courtesy. They have taken the long route. I would like to state again that we did everything by the book. The High Court order required the club to cease to exist as a trust by June 30, 2017. Before June 30, the trust ran the affairs of the club and had to keep everything in order before being handed to a transitional committee and this included paying the affiliation fee, all of this was done with respect to the court order. The BFA is well aware of our process and we believe they will give TAFIC the correct information to correct this misunderstanding,” said Mogomotsi.
Another highly placed source has urged interested parties to cease from being quick to dismiss TAFIC’s case as he believes they might have a strong case. Botswana Football Association Public Relations Officer Tumo Mpatane stated that they are still waiting for TAFIC’s official report. “As of last week, the BPL advised TAFIC to write an official complaint and forward it to the BFA. As far as we are concerned they should document their grievances and approach us. We are willing to listen to their case, we have an open door policy,” said Mpatane.