Kenyan champions Gor Mahia and their arch-rivals AFC Leopards could be relegated from the country's top-flight league if they fail to offset debts owed to former players, a lawyer has warned.
World football governing body, Fifa's Disputes Resolution Chamber last month prohibited both K'Ogalo and Ingwe from penning deals with new players for the next two transfer windows after they failed to clear Sh1.2 million and Sh1.8 million owed to Dickson Ambundo and Vincent Habamahahoro respectively.
The decision came after Fifa's 45-day ultimatum requiring the clubs to pay accrued salaries and allowances fell on deaf ears.
Lawyer Evans Majani, representing the two players, has now sent a stern warning to both K'Ogalo and Ingwe, reminding them they risk further far reaching sanctions if they continue to play dumb and deaf to the issue.
“If after the expiration date of the transfer sanctions the two clubs will still not have offset the arrears, we will proceed and write to the Fifa DRC seeking to enforce more sanctions, including docking of points and possibly having them relegated,” Majani said. Majani disclosed Moneybags Wazito were also still not off the hook just yet even after making an effort to address the issue.
“Wazito have paid Issofou Bourhana and Augustine Otu and Piscas Kirenge but haven't sorted Paul Acquah and Mansoor Safi Agu,” said Majani.
“If they don’t pay the two, we will move back to Fifa for more drastic measures to be instituted against them. We demand due process in sacking players,” said Majani.
The development comes at a time Sofapaka Burundian central defender Moussa Omar has threatened to institute legal proceedings against the club at Fifa as he seeks compensation amounting to US$9900 for wrongful termination of employment in August 2019.
"I am writing to your good office in order to kindly remind you to pay me the outstanding amount of US$9900—an equivalent to pending salary arrears as committed not later than March 31, 2021 failing of which I will issue a claim before competent bodies of Fifa to rule on the case," read a letter dated March 15.
Sofapaka general manager, Jimmy Ambajo has since appealed to Omar to exercise patience as they sort out the matter.
"Being a former player in our team, we kindly request you to be a bit patient with us as we try to look for funds to enable us pay your outstanding arrears. We are undertaking to pay you by end of August 2021 since by then we would have an ample time to look for funds," he wrote.
