Police should have arrested Senegalese

Wed, 15 Mar 2017 12:18:25 +0000

By SANDRA MACHIMA

Police should have arrested the Senegalese player practicing witchcraft which is an offence in Zambia.

According to Dr. Cosmas Mumba  the Witchcraft Act Chapter 90 of the Laws of Zambia provides that , “any person who collects, makes, sells or uses or assists or takes part in collecting, selling making or using charms or poison or thing which (he or she) intends for use either by himself or by some other person for the purpose of any act punishable by this Act, shall be liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred penalty units or to imprisonment with or without hard labour for any term not exceeding one year or to both”.

Dr. Mumba who is National Revolution Party president said the Ministries of Sports, Youth and Child Development and the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) shou;ld as a matter of urgency lodge a complaint against Senegal for using charms on the football pitch, which was against the Zambian law.

Dr. Mumba said the police should have apprehended those who were found wanting because Zambian laws do not allow the possession of charms.

Dr. Mumba, however, said FAZ should take a lead to ensure they lodged a complaint because they saw what had happened, and believed that the police might have been prohibited by the fact that the foreign players might have been enjoying diplomatic immunity while in Zambia.

He urged FAZ to write to FIFA and CAF to look into the matter because Zambian law did not allow such illegalities, adding that it would be prudent if the Ministry of Sports addressed the issue at that level.

“As the leader of National Revolution Party, I want to appeal to the Minister of Sport to consider writing to FIFA and other bodies because I am very sure CAF saw what transpired that same day and, therefore, Senegal must be banned from participating should they continue to use such practices against their opponents,” he said.

Meanwhile, NAREP national secretary Ezra Ngulube expressed concern about the silence CAF had exhibited for so long in African football, where players were allowed on the field with objects that were suspected to be “juju”.

Mr Ngulube said such activities were not good for the game in that football should be a fair game, and to prevent others from scoring in such a mysterious manner was not allowed.