Friday, February 03, 2012

Ex ZIFA boss Rushwaya arrested

Police have arrested and detained former CEO of Zimbabwe Football Association, Ms Henrrietta Rushwaya for the match-fixing scandal popularly known as Asiagate.

Rushwaya was arrested Thursday by detectives from the Anti-Corruption Task Force and charged with corruption, bribery, and match-fixing, her lawyer Selby Hwacha said.

Rushwaya is fingered as the chief mastermind of a series of fixed matches played by Zimbabwe’s national team against Asian teams in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia between 2007 and 2008. 

Zimbabwe players were paid to lose matches in a betting syndicate worth millions directed by one Wilson Raj Perumal of Singapore who is currently serving jail sentence in Finland after being convicted of the offence.

Accused ... Henrietta Rushwaya

Rushwaya’s arrest comes just a day after ZIFA announced it has banned 80 players from playing for Zimbabwe following their participation in the controversial ASIAN TOURS and willingly accepting bribes to lose matches.

Announcing the decision to exclude the 80 players, ZIFA chief Executive Officer Jonathan Mashingaidze said, “We have taken the position that whoever is going to be called up for any national assignment should not be among those implicated in match-fixing.”

It is also believed that Zimbabwe may have failed to qualify for 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) due to the many individuals taking money to lose qualifying matches.(ZimEye, Zimbabwe)