IN MARATHON RELEGATION CASE: JIMOH CALLS FOR JUDGE RECUSAL

MBABANE – The wait continues.

This is the story of the much-anticipated marathon relegation case between hub giants Manzini Wanderers and Denver Sundowns, which was supposed to be heard yesterday at the High Court, before Judge Bonginkosi Magagula. The case started when Wanderers lodged a protest over Sundowns Skipper Jimoh Moses in their MTN Premier League relegation six-pointer, which was played at the Somhlolo National Stadium, in May. The game finished 4-2 in favour of Ikappa Kappa. Both teams were hauled before the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Disciplinary Committee (DC), which ruled in favour of Sundowns. The ruling by the Thulani Sibandze-chaired committee did not sit well with Wanderers and they took it to the EFA’s Appeals Board, which also dismissed the case.

The Mlamuli ‘Mlaba’ Nkambule-captained side was then forced to run to the High Court of Eswatini seeking its intervention in the matter.  At the High Court, they successfully stopped the deliberation of the relegation item during the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) Annual General Meeting (AGM), which was held at the Sigwaca House. They were granted their wish, but the protest matter was expected to be heard yesterday. It was, however, postponed as Moses’s Legal Representatives LN Dlamini and Associates wanted Judge Magagula to recuse himself from the matter on allegations that he has close ties with Wanderers.

The matter was scheduled to take place at 9:30am, but after LN Dlamini and Associates highlighted their concern, they met with the judge and Wanderers representatives in the chambers to deliberate on the recusal of Judge Magagula from the case. “The matter, has been postponed to Friday (tomorrow, as we feel that the judge should recuse himself from the matter. We were told that he was a friend with one of Wanderers directors,” Advocate Lucas Maziya from LN Dlamini and Associates explained.

He said the judge then requested them to file a formal application with written proof that indeed he was a friend of the said director. Maziya also disclosed that they would file the application today and confirmed that the matter was postponed to tomorrow at the High Court at 9:30am. Meanwhile, the ‘Weslians’ Legal Representative, Charlie ‘Minga’ Jele, also confirmed that the matter was postponed due to the fact that the other party wants the judge to recuse himself, on the allegations that he is close to Wanderers.  This means that Wanderers’ fate remains undecided. Both leagues enter week two from tomorrow. The Premier League has kicked off with the normal 14 teams.

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