THE UNEXPECTED ALWAYS HAPPENS AS: GAMBIAN TRIALIST ARRESTED

SITEKI – A 24-year-old former George Gambia FC midfielder appeared at the Siteki Magistrates Court charged for being in the country without proper documentation.

Yesterday, Emmanuel Johnson appeared before Magistrate Machawe Bhembe, charged for contravening Section 1492) (c) of the Immigration Act No. 17 of 1982, in that on August 16, 2024, at King Mswati III International Airport, the said accused did unlawfully remain in the country without a valid permit. The Gambian national elected to conduct his own defence and pleaded guilty as charged when the charge sheet was read to him.

Detained

The Crown moved an application that Johnson be detained while the processes of deporting him to his home country were being undertaken. In mitigation, the midfielder told the court that a locally-based player’s manager arranged trials for him in November 2022, at relegated National First Division side, Mbabane Citizen FC, but he failed to make a cut. The player manager cannot be named as allegations made against him could not be substantiated. He further submitted in court that he failed to return to his home country as he exhausted the money he had. He claimed he remained in the country while trying to raise money for his air ticket. Magistrate Bhembe granted the Crown’s prayers and Emmanuel was told that he will remained detained and was expected to pay a fine fixed at E500 for remaining in the country without the proper documentation. The player, on the other hand, claimed he used E45 000 to buy air tickets to come for trials in Eswatini.

Assist

The midfielder further alleged that he then opted to call a Senegalese player to assist him with accommodation. Johnson alleged that his friend arranged with his girlfriend residing in Nhlangano to accommodate him while looking for a team to play for while raising funds to buy his air tickets.He claimed that he was assisting village teams in Nhlangano with coaching while in the country. It was established that the player was found with a fraudulent visa to travel to the United States of America (USA) on Friday, when the police station at the King Mswati III International Airport pounced on him.

It was reliably established that he arrived in the country during the 2021/2022 football season and underwent trials at Mbabane Citizen FC. Reports suggested the player failed the trials and was told to return back to his home country, but he resisted. He reportedly stayed in a guest house before disappearing into thin air. The former Mbabane Citizen FC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Simelane also shared that he was informed that the player was arrested after being found with fake documentation. He stated that the player failed to make a cut during his trials at the team and the team resolved not to grant him a contract. “I was shocked that the player has been in the country for almost two years. The team assessed him but he failed to make a cut,” he said.

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