Mafco settle Sulom fines
Mafco has paid K300 000 ($502.78) to Super League of Malawi (Sulom) as part of the K650 000 ($1,089.36) fine imposed on them for disrupting a match against Be Forward Wanderers early last month.
Confirming the payment, Sulom general secretary Williams Banda said the Army side will pay the balance tomorrow, a day before they play Kamuzu Barracks at Civo stadium.
“The verdict indicated that they will not play their next game until they have paid the fines in full. So, they have promised to finish paying on Friday,” he said.
A Sulom statement containing the ruling said Mafco were punished because their striker Richard Mbulu threatened referee Wanneck Mlenga, after he had red-carded the player.
In an interview yesterday, the Sulom GS hoped that the fines would prevent other players from misbehaving.
He also blamed some of the coaches for what he termed as failure to discipline their players.
“What we have noted is that the coaches are not fulfilling their roles of instilling discipline among the players.
“We are also hopeful that after being punished harshly, they will learn their lesson,” he said.
In a related development, six Red Lions players have started playing after serving the six months suspensions for insulting and assaulting referees during their game against Surestream, now Fisd Wizards, in May this year.
Boniface Kaulesi, William Chiumia, Mathews Simbeye, George Haule, Thomas Makombwa and Sunganani Msiska have finished serving their suspension.
“They have served their bans and their club has also paid the fine, so they have started playing,” Banda confirmed.
Meanwhile, Loti Chawinga and Dickson Mbetewa Junior, who were banned for a year for leading a delegation that assaulted the referees, remain on the sidelines.
Red Lions, an Army outfit, was fined over K3 million for their players’ conduct which later led to suspected Malawi Defence Force soldiers assaulting football fans outside the stadium.
One of the victims Geoffrey Mwale died in hospital after sustaining head injuries. n
