Hooliganism lands AFC Leopards in hot soup as club is fined, with official receiving hefty ban

AFC Leopards Chairman Allan Kasavuli and Organizing Secretary Timothy Lilumbi (L) addresses the press after unveiling the new Coach Hendricks Pieter De Jong to the team at Nyayo National Stadium [Courtesy]

Kenya Premier League outfit AFC Leopards on Monday, March 11, was slapped with a Sh300,000 fine by the Independent Disciplinary and Complaints Committee (IDCC) following acts of hooliganism during their league match against Nzoia Sugar at the Kenyatta stadium, Machakos on January 6.

Consequently, the club’s organising secretary Timothy Lilumba, who was suspended, has been banned from all football-related activities for a total of 150 days and handed a fine of a similar amount.

“We have considered the oral evidence and the documentary evidence as a whole. We equally have taken note of the demeanor of the two witnesses. An assault is technically a tress pass on the person.

This would infer that barring any obstructing aspects, the victim would be well placed to narrate the incident of assault. Mr Mwai told the tribunal that his assailant was a person well known to him. Nothing was presented to suppose that he did not see who had hit him.

No reason was given why he would say it was Mr Lilumbi if it was anyone else i.e. he had no prior grudge with the assailant. These averments were also corroborated by the match commissioners report.

The match between AFC Leopards and Nzoia sugar was disrupted [Courtesy]

We find no reason to dispute the rendition of Mr Mwai. We do not hesitate to hold that Mr Lilumbi, an official of AFC Leopards assaulted Mr Mwai and caused fans to join in the said misconduct,” said the IDCC in a statement seen by Game Yetu.

The fines are required to be paid within 30 days.