Former Zambian Football Association president and 1988 footballer of the year Kalusha Bwalya is wasting time appealing his two year ban and $100,000 fine for corruption by the world football body FIFA as it is very clear that he is guilty of all the charges leveled against him and won’t win his appeal.
It must be noted that the investigation has been ongoing for a long time, since the vote for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids that was won by Russia and Qatar respectively, also that high intelligence agents have been involved in it including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) since it cost the United States a chance to host the showpiece and all evidence has been availed to FIFA hence the decision to finally ban and fine Kalusha.
Secondly, their was prima admittance by Kalusha to have both solicited and received the said amounts in two batches, a $30,000 and $50,000 between 2009 and 2011 when the allegations were first raised. Initially, he lied that the funds he was soliciting were for the Football Association of Zambia but investigations and a leak of his emails by the the Sunday Mail & Times Newspaper in U.K revealed that the monies were sent into his personal account (Check on the photos). A check in the financial statements at FAZ showed non reflection of the funds in question.
Thirdly, there was a promise by Kalu to pay the money back in future in one of his emails. These first payments took place at the time Bin Hamman was leading the Qatari World Cup bid and Kalu was president of FAZ, a voter on behalf the association for the same. The second was when Bin Hamman was vying for the Football Association top job and Kalu still held the voting right for Zambia.
To connect all dots it is very clear that Kalu was paid that money in his personal capacity since there was no reflections of the same in the financial statements for the year ending 2009 and 2011. Kalu abused his position as association president to solicit personal funds using the national association’s name which is a crime. The fact that Bwalya got the first amount at a time when there was to be voting for a World Cup host clearly spells a vote buy, and the second when the payer was vying for a position and Kalu had the voting right as president tells the same story of a corrupt vote.
All these said leave Kalusha vividly guilty, and instead of trying to act righteous by giving statements in defense of his corrupt activities by telling the public that his legal team will commence the process to appeal his ban and fine, he should shut up and concentrate on raising money to pay the $100,000 fine slapped on him. Gone are the days when we thought he was clean as his 8 year reign as FA boss was marred by financial scandals ranging from shoddy sponsorship deals, non remittance of appearance fees for friendly matches and illegal issuances of Transfer certificates for players without the consent of parent clubs.
It’s over Kalu, It’s over!! The world can now see you for what you really are, a corrupt and dishonest man.
Mbanga, Irvine Ilukui.
Fayetteville, Arkansas.
United States of America.