GOR, AFC ON FIFA RADAR: World governing body to investigate ‘irregular’ player transfers

Gor Mahia midfielder Khalid Aucho tackles Hillary Echesa of Nakuru All stars during their KPL match at Nyayo stadium on May 18, 2015.PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO

The Fifa Ethics Committee has opened investigations on three Kenyan Premier League (KPL) clubs over alleged irregularities on past player transfers, Feverpitch can reveal.

Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards and Sofapaka will have a date with the head of Intergrity and Compliance Kimberly Morris next week.

The Fifa official will arrive in Nairobi this weekend to carry out investigations on the three clubs.

All the three clubs have already been informed of the visit by Football Kenya Federation and have been asked to prepare for it.

Details of the investigations remained sketchy, but sources said it had to do with the fact that on some occasions, the clubs have not been receiving money in their accounts on some player transfers.

“The Ethics Commission is concerned that while the three teams have been selling players the money has not been coming into their club accounts and they want to find out what has been happening,” said our source. Gor Mahia acting Chief Executive Lodvick Aduda confirmed the club has been summoned to meet the Fifa officials, but insisted they have nothing to fear. “The fact is all the international transfers that we have done in the last two years were captured on the Transfer Manager System (TMS) of the federation. We can account for every player sold during that period and therefore we have nothing to hide,” he said.

Aduda said the Fifa official has asked to meet the club’s TMS manager Ronald Ngala, the legal manager as well as other top officials.

Before the meeting with Fifa officials, Gor Mahia have been asked to submit to FKF their financial statements for the last two years which Aduda has confirmed they have done so.

Doubts, however, still remain on exactly how much the club received for the sale of Khalid Aucho to South African club Baroka this year. Sources say the South African club paid an official of the club cash money instead of depositing it into Gor Mahia’s account and this among other cases may have drawn the interest of Fifa.

Sofapaka chairman Elly Kalekwa whose club is fighting to be retained in the KPL declined to comment on the probe. “My focus now is on ensuring that we get a licence to take part in the KPL next season,” he said when contacted.

AFC Leopards Chief Executive Officer Ronald Namai said the club has submitted all requested documents to FKF ahead of next week’s meeting.

“We are not sure what this is all about but we are ready to meet them when they come,” said Namai.

It is still unclear what action will be taken against the three clubs in case they are found guilty of any wrong doing as FKF officials were unwilling to comment on the matter.