ZIFA board waits on audit ad hoc committee findings

THE three-member ad hoc committee that was set up by ZIFA to look into matters arising from the forensic audit report is expected to present their findings to determine the course action to be taken by the association.

The country’s football governing body was left with a lot of soul-searching after a forensic audit carried by an independent auditor unearthed massive financial irregularities at 53 Livingstone Avenue.

The audit by BDO Zimbabwe revealed that ZIFA could have been prejudiced of over US$600 000 and more in local currency during Felton Kamambo’s tenure. The audit covered the period between December 1, 2018 and November 30, 2021.

ZIFA president Gift Banda said some of the transactions hinted there could be acts of criminality in the way the ZIFA finances were handled, with a big possibility of looting and massive cover-up in the transactions.

The association’s executive committee responded by setting up a three-member ad hoc committee at their last board meeting. The committee is led by Martin Kweza, with Alois Masepe and Kenneth Mhlophe also members.

“We have appointed a three-member committee headed by Martin Kweza. Their mandate is to look into matters arising from the forensic audit report and then make recommendations.

“The audit unearthed a lot of bad things. There was money that was unaccounted for, specifically the US$182 000 from FIFA that was never recorded in the ZIFA books.

“By just going through the audit report you could see that there are some elements that are of criminal nature, so we need to go to the bottom of the matter.

“We hope to be getting feedback from the ad hoc committee by the end of the week,” said Banda.

The forensic audit was one of the key undertakings by the Sports and Recreation Commission, through the ZIFA Restructuring Committee, to eliminate malfeasance and corruption in the administration of local football.

BDO Zimbabwe Chartered Accountants, who conducted the audit, indicated in the report that they could not access critical information on the association’s transactions from two financial institutions, who were among ZIFA’s key bankers.

It is believed that the information would have assisted auditors to establish recipients of varying sums of money withdrawn from ZIFA’s accounts held with the banks.

The ZIFA board is expected to table the audit report at the Annual General Meeting for discussion and adoption next month.

The SRC has indicated they could engage the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and police to get to the bottom of the matter.