Magosi in hide and seek with Sherriff
There was drama over the past weekend when some Mochudi Centre Chiefs officials scurried away from a Deputy Sherriff with bags full of money accrued from the gate takings of their encounter with Gaborone United in Molepolole.
The Deputy Sherriff acting on behalf of former Chiefs’ coach Madinda Ndlovu showed up at the match to execute action as determined by the high court judgement that instructed the club to pay their former coach the P100 000 they have owed him over the past two years. In failing to pay Ndlovu the money that was promised as bonus for winning the previous league title, the high court in November last year ordered that Ndlovu could attach the club’s property, gate takings or Chairman Ernest Molome’s property. According to court documents, Chiefs are cited as first defendant while Molome is second against Ndlovu, the plaintiff. Molome signed a two-year contract with Ndlovu, which effected June 21 two years ago, and scheduled to end on June 31 this year.
Among other benefits, Molome offered Ndlovu a monthly fixed salary, both car and cell phone allowances, winning bonuses as well as a further 10 percent bonus of the prize money if he won the league or a domestic cup competition. After the November judgement, Chiefs through a letter by their secretary Lebogang Seboni promised to pay Ndlovu in instalments of P10 000 but failed to do so, hence the debt still stands to date. Now, after exhausting all reasonable means to get his money Ndlovu has resorted to recovering his money through a Deputy Sherriff. He opted for attaching the club’s gate takings to avoid the embarrassment that could visit both the club and Molome if he attached their property, but his legal representatives were surprised by the turn of events on Saturday in Molepolole.
The club officials made away with what was then speculated to be over P30 000, but when the Sherriff dashed to the Molepolole Police Station to report them, they quickly turned up carrying only P2 500. This Wednesday, the premier league office confirmed that the game between Chiefs and United made P34 000, of which 25 percent would be paid to the stadium management (BNSC) while 5 percent goes to the premier league for administrative costs. The rest of the money goes to the host team, which suggests that the actual amount Chiefs should have given the Sherriff is about P23 000.
Instead, the Chiefs officials maintained the only remaining money they had was P2 500, and this reportedly so angered the Sherriff that speculation now suggests he might move for Molome’s property as supported by the High Court Judgement of November last year. It would also come as no surprise should the Sherriff pounce again on them during their international duel against South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs this weekend.
When contacted for comment, Ndlovu as usual remained economical with information, only confirming that he is still owed by his former employers. On their part, Centre Chiefs’ spokesperson Clifford Mogomotsi said he was not aware of the incident in Molepolole, and said he would rather discuss on-the-field matters than issues that involve a former employee. Molepolole Police Acting Station Commander, Assistant Superintendent Gontse Segale confirmed that on Saturday a Deputy Sherriff reported a matter concerning Chiefs and officials who ran away with money that was attached. The police station also revealed that the men who were reported later arrived at the police station to plead with the Sherriff not to open a case.
