Castle Lager Premier Soccer League side Herentals have been found not guilty of the match fixing charges labelled against them.

The Innocent Benza-owned side were accused of trying to influence the result of their league clash against army side Black Rhinos by the PSL displinary committe, charges which they have been been acquitted of by the ZIFA Appeals committee.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association Appeals Committee has cleared Herentals FC (1st Appellant) and Oliver Chirenga (2nd Appellant) of the match-fixing conviction made by the Premier Soccer League disciplinary committee on 8 January 2020.

Part of the appeals committee’s verdict reads;
1. The conviction of the Appellants made by the PSL Disciplinary Committee on the 8th of January 2020 be and is hereby set aside. As a result; the 1st and 2nd Appellants are hereby found Not Guilty and Acquitted.

2. The 1st and 2nd Appellants are hereby ordered to pay wasted costs to the Premier Soccer League Disciplinary Committee as per Zifa Appeals Board ruling on 5 March 2020. Thereafter, each party shall bear its own costs incurred by the parties to the appeal as from the 5th of March 2020.

3. The 1st and 2nd Appellant shall be responsible, jointly and severally; to pay additional appeal costs as per paragraph 31 of this ruling. ZIFA shall determine the amount with which the appeal proceedings exceeded the appeal fees paid by the Appellants and shall inform the Appellants.

In passing its judgement, the appeals committee stated that the gravity of match fixing issues requires standard of proof that meets the ‘comfortable satisfaction’ principle used by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS),” revelead ZIFA communications officer Xolisani Gwesela via a statement on Friday evening.