Bullets’ K1m TNM subvention withheld
Just when it appeared Big Bullets FC had a new lease of life since the haunting pile of debts, it has emerged that TNM, sponsors of the Super League, have withheld their K1 million subvention for damaging the flagship league’s trophy.
The trophy was damaged when some Bullets fans ransacked their team’s offices in March this year as one way of forcing out the previous leadership led by Kondi Msungama.
Super League of Malawi (Sulom) treasurer Tiya Somba-Banda and Bullets vice-general secretary Kelvin Moyo confirmed the development.
Somba-Banda said the cost of buying the new trophy will be deducted from Bullets’ subvention and they will get the difference.
However, Somba-Banda dismissed suggestions that Bullets’ subvention has been withheld because of the K5 million shortfall from the K10 million upfront payment they got from the SMS CAF Champions League campaign.
The Sulom spokesperson also confirmed that the league was waiting in the wings to pounce on Bullets’ subvention as the team owes them in excess of K1 million in unpaid affiliation and registration fees for last season.
“Bullets owe us a million kwacha plus and we were planning to recover it from the same subvention. Now it means we’ll have to find another way of recovering the money,” he said.
As if that is not enough, the landlord of the office the Bullets were renting is claiming K1 million as costs for repairing the office, loss of business and rental arrears.
Despite abandoning the office, Bullets did not handover the property to the owners, neither did they terminate the lease agreement.
The owners of the premises are demanding outstanding rentals for the period between April and June amounting to K210 000 (at K70 000 per month).
Moyo confirmed both issues, saying they were still waiting to be advised on the way forward by Sulom as regards the issue of the trophy.
“As for the office issue, we are in receipt of a letter from the owners who are claiming compensation including accumulative rentals.
“What we know is that when the supporters forced out the people they found at the secretariat, they closed the office. But we are yet to determine whether they followed the lease termination process,” explained Moyo.
Asked on the progress of settling the debts incurred during the 2015 CAF Champions League campaign estimated to be in the excess of K30 million, Moyo said: “The vetting process is still going on to determine the legitimate debts and once we are through, we will start settling the debts.”
