Home | Sports | WANDERERS IN CONTEMPT OF APPEAL – SUNDOWNS

WANDERERS IN CONTEMPT OF APPEAL – SUNDOWNS

Font size: Decrease font Enlarge font

MBABANE – Will this case ever be concluded?

This is a question everyone is asking themselves in the marathon relegation saga involving hub giants Manzini Wanderers and Denver Sundowns. This comes after the trio of Denver Sundowns, Moneni Pirates and Jimoh Moses, through their legal representative LN Dlamini and Associates, filed answering affidavits in reaction to the ‘Weslians’ application of execution pending at the High Court. The matter was supposed to be heard two days ago, before Judge Mumcy Dlamini, as the maroon and white hub giants are seeking the court’s intervention to force the country’s football authorities to execute Dlamini’s judgment.

Protest

The matter, which is now close to six months old, started when Wanderers lodged a protest against Sundowns defender and skipper Moses, alleging that he had an invalid work permit.
This was during the club’s MTN Premier League relegation six-pointer match, which was played at Somhlolo National Stadium on May 19, 2024. Ikappa Kappa won the match 4-2, but they could not cheat the dreaded relegation axe, as they were eventually chopped down to the MTN National First Division (NFD). The clubs were hauled before the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Disciplinary Committee (DC) where their case was dismissed. This verdict did not sit well with the ‘Weslians’ as they took it to the EFA Appeals Board, which also dismissed them.

Reviewed

The Mlamuli ‘Mlaba’ Nkambule-captained outfit then took the matter to the High Court, where Judge Dlamini ordered that the matter be reviewed and set aside by the football authorities. She further concluded that Moses was not eligible to play the match. Wanderers, after the court ruling wrote to the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) demanding to be included in the MTN Premier League fixture programme. The PLE then wrote to the EFA seeking clarity on how to deal with the matter; however the EFA is yet to reply.  This made Wanderers run to court again seeking that these football bodies execute Dlamini’s judgment. In its answering affidavit, Sundowns feel that Wanderers are in contempt of the appeal, as it is common cause that the order that they were referring to was appealed against, on the day of its issuance.

Pending

They believe that its execution was suspended immediately pending the hearing and determination of the appeal. Ikappa Kappa also denied that the fifth respondent (Jimoh Moses) had no valid work permit when he participated in the match played on May 19, 2024. “It is certainly not common cause that the Supreme Court will only sit next year to hear fresh appeals,” reads part of the affidavit. The matter is back in court before Judge Dlamini, today, and is scheduled to start at 11am.

Comments (0 posted):

Post your comment comment

Please enter the code you see in the image:

: EARLY PAY
Is early pay good in December?