CASILLI FACES LEGAL BATTLE

Sun, 24 Dec 2017 12:23:12 +0000

…City of Lusaka members unanimously retire Christine Mulundika while Judge Sunday Nkonde returns

By GRACE CHAILE LESOETSA

OVER 100 City of Lusaka members yesterday unanimously agreed that legal action must be taken against Forli limited director Diego Casilli for breaching the K3.2 million team sponsorship contract he signed with the club last year.

The members also solidly agreed that iron lady Christine Mulundika was no longer the Board of Trustees chairperson with immediate effect and announced a transitional team.

During the Club extra-ordinary meeting held at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka yesterday, the general members voted that the executive together with the newly appointed board should take legal action against Casilli for the premature termination of contract and also for questionable acquisition of 59 percent shares in City.

It was agreed that lawyers should be immediately engaged to look into the matter and especially that Casilli had already started removing furniture from the Stadium.

Evans Banda proposed that Casilli should be sued for breaching the team sponsorship contract.

And Steve Shamenda asked the executive to clearly state whether the lease agreement to refurbish the stadium and also build a shopping signed with the developer Forli was done correctly.

In response, general secretary Christopher Chilongo said according to their investigation, the lease agreement was not legal.

Chilongo also explained that there was no full council resolution allowing Forli to construct a shopping mall at Woodlands Studium.

“For instance, there was a fictitious credit of USD562, 500.00 which is claimed to have been cleared by Casilli which the City of Lusaka 2000 Plc secretary Chifumu Banda and other genuine trustees denied.

“It was also discovered that some of the signatories were self-imposed trustees. We will take legal action as Casilli terminated the contract in June although it was supposed to run till 2019” he said. The members therefore unanimously voted that the lease agreement was null and void.

They also agreed that the Vodafone sponsorship agreement was null and void since it was signed with Forli.

The new board of trustees include former City chairperson Judge Sunday Nkonde, Sam Simutowe, Esau Nebwe, Elisha Mwanza, Lovewell Jerry, Evans Banda, Steve Shamenda and Kaitano Chungu.

William Harrington, Brian Kalunga, Henry Sichembe and Michael Bwalya were referred to as self-imposed trustees.

“We have this new board of trustees which you have all agreed to since the previous team declared themselves redundant. The executive has also been beefed up by Mbuna Mwanza, Kebby Chilupe and Eddie Manda.  The trustees will soon meet to choose their chairperson,” City executive committee chairperson Justin Zulu said.

Meanwhile, the general membership voted for the removal of Mulundika.

Mulundika had earlier sent a message to the general secretary that she could not attend the meeting due to high hypertension and also asked for forgiveness.

When Zulu proposed on the floor whether Mulundika should continue as trustee’s chairperson, the members unanimously voted against with some individuals shouting that it was time for her to retire.

Chilongo was happy that members were speaking the same language which was vital for the development of the team.