BDF XI disciplinary case postponed

Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Friday November 29, 2013 16:25

 

BDF XI are charged with two counts of taking a football dispute to court as well as bringing the game of football into disrepute. The postponement was made at the request of BDF XI who said they had received three notices of charges and this had created a confusion as to which one is valid.

They also argued that they have not been furnished with affidavits or any other statements that led to them being arraigned before the DC. They said they want to be furnished with all statements that will be used against them at the hearing. They said they were not prepared and would like to be given sometime to prepare for the hearing.

However, the prosecutor, Lesedi Moagi argued that the last charge sheet sent to BDF XI states clearly that it is an amendment and therefore supersedes the previous two charge sheets. He said the case be continued because the charges are not different and there is no addition to the counts in the charge sheet. In the end, the DC said BDF XI should have approached the Premier League if they needed clarity and should have requested a postponement of the hearing if they felt they were not prepared rather than wait for the day of the hearing.

The DC however ruled that the case be postponed so that the prosecution could furnish BDF XI with all the necessary statements that they would use against them in the hearing if there are any. BDF XI were contesting the postponement of their fixture against Mochudi Centre Chiefs and approached the High Court. They succeeded after the judge ruled that there was no proper consultation from the BPL regarding the postponement. Chiefs in the end had to play South Africa giants, Kaizer Chiefs and BDF XI on consecutive days.