Africa-Press – Tanzania. FORMER Simba SC President Evance Aveva yesterday gave a detailed account how over 600m/- received between 2014 and 2017 as transfer fees for ex-player Emanuel Okwi from Etoile Sportive Du Sahel, was utilized.
Giving his defence evidence against fraud charges, he is facing at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam, Aveva told Principal Resident Magistrate Thomas Simba that he served the Msimbazi Street Club as President between 2014 and 2017.
Led by his Advocate Kung’I Wabeya, the former club’s boss explained that within the period in question they received 319,212 US dollars from the sports club based in Tunisia being sale proceeds of their player, Okwi.
“I called an emergence meeting of the Executive Committee to deliberate on the expenditure of the money. The Committee resolved that the amount should be withdrawn from the club’s account at CRDB Bank for specific purposed of construction a playing ground at Bunju,” he said.
According to him, the committee also resolved that a sum of 17,000 US dollars be paid to Simba’s Registration Committee Chairman Zacharia Hans Poppe, as loan repayment under which, the latter had provided to the club at the time they were terminating a contract with former Coach, identified as Dylan Kerr.
He was, however, quick to point out that the committee could not specify where Okwi’s sale proceeds would be deposited upon being withdrawn from the club’s account. Aveva told the court that the Secretariat under the club’s Secretary General initiated a process to open another bank account.
Nevertheless, he said, such process could not succeed because of several demands from the bank and having sensing that the process could take time the secretariat under Secretary General Amos Gaumeni, who also served as Chief Accountant, approached him so that the money could be deposited in his account.
“I agreed the money to be deposited in my personal account, but on condition that there should be a memorandum of understanding, which will reflect the transaction. The memorandum of understanding was signed by me, Vice-Chairman Geoffrey Nyange and Amos,” he said.
Thereafter, he said, the amount was transferred to his account for safe keeping as he was legitimate representative of the club. Hearing of the case continues on July 12th, 2021.
In the case, Aveva is charged jointly with Nyange and Hans Poppe Facts of the case show on March 12, 2016, the Club was paid 319,212 US dollars by Etoile Sportive Du Sahel, a sports club based in Tunisia.
Such amount was transfer fees of Emmanuel Okwi to Etoile Sportive Du Sahel. The amount was credited in Simba bank account held at CRDB Bank Plc Azikiwe Branch where Aveva and Nyange were signatories.
Upon credit of the amount, on March 15, 2016, a sum of 300,000 US dollars was transferred to Aveva’s personal account held at Barclays Bank. The transfer was effected using transfer of fund request form dated March 15, 2016 which was submitted to CRDB Bank, Azikiwe Brach by (Aveva). This form was signed by both (Aveva and Nyange). The payment details in the form were loan repayment,” reads part of the memorandum of facts.
