By RONALD CHAWE –
THE Zambia Rugby Union (ZRU) has handed a ten-year ban on two Kitwe Playing Fields (KPF) players including Benaya Mukwamba for their role in physically attacking referee Joseph Ingwe in an ill-tempered league game against Diggers.
Also banned with Mukwamba is Patson Kasonde while Fine Chinkumbe has been handed a lesser suspension of eight years while KPF treasurer Jeremiah Manda has been fined K1, 500.
The three attacked Ingwe after losing 6-3 in a Kitwe derby to a struggling Diggers side, a team they left in the off season.
And in a separate case, the ZRU has extended the ban on Green Buffaloes player Tom Luhanda from the initial 12 months to 12 years.
ZRU General Secretary Francis Chitambo, who confirmed the development in a statement, said the affected players were free to appeal to the executive committee and the Council within 14 days.
The ban comes after the John Chibuye led six-member Disciplinary Committee sat on Saturday with other members being two lawyers in Enius Chulu and Brian Singine.
“The verdict was passed as follows; Benaya Mukwamba and Patson Kasonde have been suspended for 10 years each while Fine Chinkumbe has been suspended for eight years,” he said.
Chitambo further disclosed that Green Buffaloes’ Tom Luhanga, who was suspended for a season had his case recalled by the disciplinary Committee who now decided to hand the player a 12 year-suspension period.
Chitambo said Luhanga’s case was tabled on April 30 and that the committee recalled it and overturned the earlier suspension which was just up to the end of the 2016 season.
“Tom Luhanga of Green Buffaloes whose case was tabled on April 30, and was suspended for the rest of the 2016 season had the case recalled by the Disciplinary sub-Committee and the punishment was replaced with a 12-year suspension,” he said.
He said all the affected were given leave to appeal within 14 days to executive and to the council meetings.