FAM pays former Nchalo GS K14m compensation

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has paid Enock Whayo K14 million after losing a case in which the former Nchalo United general secretary (GS) sued the association for accusing him of attempted match-fixing.

Whayo, through his lawyers Robert and Franklin, sued FAM for character assassination in a hugely publicised incident that was carried on BBC, CNN and SuperSport in which he and other Nchalo United officials were accused of trying to fix a Carlsberg Cup round-of-32 match involving Chitipa United and Nchalo United on July 13 2017 at Mzuzu Stadium.

But the court found that FAM did not have sufficient evidence and did not give Whayo a chance to defend himself.

The court ordered the association to pay K14 million in compensation. However, the association was dilly-dallying, forcing sheriffs to descend on FAM offices on Thursday at Chiwembe in Blantyre to force the association to honour the court order.

Whayo and his lawyer Robert Nthewa of Robert and Franklin, confirmed the development in an interview yesterday.

On his part, FAM general secretary Alfred Gunda, who was in transit to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), promised to respond after his arrival, but had not reverted by press time at 2pm.

In 2018, the GS issued a statement banning Whayo from taking part in any football related matters for three years and he was also banned from entering any football stadium for 10 months.

The match officials who handled match, namely referee George Aziz Nyirenda, assistant referee Limbani Chisambi and Stephano Gomani and fourth officials Lameck Phiri, were banned for life by National Football Referees Association.

However, FAM later overruled the ban, saying the referees were not involved in fixing the match which ended 3-2 in favour of Chitipa through post-match penalties, after a 1-1 stalemate in regulation time.

Soccer analyst Charles Nyirenda accused FAM of failing to follow its disciplinary procedures and natural justice.

He said: “It is unfortunate that an association that is already struggling has spent K14 million just because of failing to follow procedures.”