FCB Nyasa Bullets say they will be guided by their lawyer on the two counts the Super League of Malawi (Sulom) has imposed on the team for the violence during their TNM Super League match against Silver Strikers at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre on Sunday.
According to a charge sheet signed by the flagship league runners’ general secretary Williams Banda, the People’s Team have been charged with failing to control the actions of their supporters and officials during the match which the Bankers won 1-0 through a last gasp goal.
Bullets have also been charged with bringing the league into disrepute.
They have been given 48 hours to respond to the charges from yesterday.
But reacting to the charges in an interview yesterday, Bullets chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda said: “We have our legal counsel, who guides us in such matters.
“Since they have given us a timeline and we will respond within the 48 hours that we have been given, then we will take it up from there.
“Suffice to say we issued a statement which was self-explanatory as regards our stand on the matter.”
The particular of the offence for the first count reads: “FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Football Club, an affiliate of the Super League of Malawi on 2nd June 2024 at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre, being a home team playing against Silver Strikers, failed to control their supporters who pelted stones [and] bottles on to the field of playin the 90th minute, forcing the match to end prematurely.
“Furthermore, the irate supporters damaged and deflated bus tyres for both visiting and home teams, forcing delayed departures.”
Particulars for the second count read: “FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Football Club, an affiliate of the Super League of Malawi, on the same date and place as stated in the first count, caused some disorderness, damaging the image of the sponsors TNM plc, the Super League of Malawi and the game.”
The incidents occurred soon after the Reserve Bank of Malawi-sponsored side scored their winning goal through Chinsisi Maonga at the dot of the regulation time.
It was Bullets’ first defeat of the season.
On Tuesday, Bullets condemned the violent acts and welcomed Sulom’s decision to investigate the incidents and punish the perpetrators.
“We are also on the ground to find the perpetrators of this violent act,” read the statement in part.
Bullets further apologised to Silver and pledged to meet the costs of repairing the team’s bus.
“As a home team, we will work closely with Silver Strikers’ management to assess and cover the costs of repairing their team bus,” the statement further read.
