NFA calls in Police over missing money

THE Namibia Football Association (NFA) has asked the Police to investigate a case in which a top football official went missing with N$41 000 in prize money for teams in the Southern Zone First Division in the Karas Region.

NFA official Eric Hansen told The Namibian Sport yesterday that Michael ‘Culture’ Situde, the chairman of the league, was still out there with some of the money, but admitted that Situde had paid some of the recipients. “We followed the strict instructions from the president [NFA president Petrus Damaseb] to hand over the matter to the Police for investigation.The president wants answers on the money and the NFA in itself is unable to conduct investigations, so it was thought that the Police should get involved,” he said.An amount of N$42 000 was paid into the account of the league at the end of the season three months ago.Days later, the account was allegedly emptied by Situde, who was then supposed to pay the teams, but never did.Hansen confirmed that a Police docket had been opened, but did not specify whether it was for theft or fraud, adding that it would be handed over to the Police at Mariental to investigate.Situde, who is based in Luederitz, has so far only paid out N$12 000 to league winners Black Morocco Chiefs (BMC), N$8 100 to runners-up Marco Atlanta Bucks and N$4 100 to the referees’ committee.The money is provided by the NFA to each division in the different regions to reward teams and players for their performance throughout the season.In this case, the money was to be distributed among the league winner, runners-up, the third-placed team, referees and individual players who performed outstandingly in the division.About two months ago, Situde had only paid Bee Bob Brothers, the third-placed team, N$6 000 in cash, but payments to BMC, Marco Atlanta Bucks and the referees were only made recently.Hansen said Situde was supposed to pay the referees N$9 000 for their services throughout the past season.In fact, Situde has paid out about N$30 000 of the prize money, but Hansen said the association did not want to deal with people who could not be trusted with money.He said they had received documentary proof of some of the payments, but insisted that the outstanding amount must be recovered, as it was bad for the image of the game.He said they were hoping that the Police would recover the outstanding money soon so that it could be paid out to the beneficiaries.* Meanwhile, the NFA this week announced that the arbitration case between the Namibia Premier League and Life Fighters will possibly be concluded next week.This is after the parties involved met earlier this week after the return of lawyer Deon Obbes who has been tasked to serve as an arbitrator.Obbes is expected to make known his findings next week after listening to dispute points of the parties.Life Fighters decided to challenge the NPL through an arbitration after they argued that points were unfairly taken away from them and given to Tigers.Life Fighters were punished as they failed to arrange for enough security personnel in Otjiwarongo.”We followed the strict instructions from the president [NFA president Petrus Damaseb] to hand over the matter to the Police for investigation.The president wants answers on the money and the NFA in itself is unable to conduct investigations, so it was thought that the Police should get involved,” he said.An amount of N$42 000 was paid into the account of the league at the end of the season three months ago.Days later, the account was allegedly emptied by Situde, who was then supposed to pay the teams, but never did.Hansen confirmed that a Police docket had been opened, but did not specify whether it was for theft or fraud, adding that it would be handed over to the Police at Mariental to investigate.Situde, who is based in Luederitz, has so far only paid out N$12 000 to league winners Black Morocco Chiefs (BMC), N$8 100 to runners-up Marco Atlanta Bucks and N$4 100 to the referees’ committee.The money is provided by the NFA to each division in the different regions to reward teams and players for their performance throughout the season.In this case, the money was to be distributed among the league winner, runners-up, the third-placed team, referees and individual players who performed outstandingly in the division.About two months ago, Situde had only paid Bee Bob Brothers, the third-placed team, N$6 000 in cash, but payments to BMC, Marco Atlanta Bucks and the referees were only made recently.Hansen said Situde was supposed to pay the referees N$9 000 for their services throughout the past season.In fact, Situde has paid out about N$30 000 of the prize money, but Hansen said the association did not want to deal with people who could not be trusted with money.He said they had received documentary proof of some of the payments, but insisted that the outstanding amount must be recovered, as it was bad for the image of the game.He said they were hoping that the Police would recover the outstanding money soon so that it could be paid out to the beneficiaries.* Meanwhile, the NFA this week announced that the arbitration case between the Namibia Premier League and Life Fighters will possibly be concluded next week.This is after the parties involved met earlier this week after the return of lawyer Deon Obbes who has been tasked to serve as an arbitrator.Obbes is expected to make known his findings next week after listening to dispute points of the parties.Life Fighters decided to challenge the NPL through an arbitration after they argued that points were unfairly taken away from them and given to Tigers.Life Fighters were punished as they failed to arrange for enough security personnel in Otjiwarongo.