FAZ BOSS REUBEN KAMANGA NARROWLY ESCAPES JAIL
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Secretary General Rueben Kamanga narrowly avoided a one-month stint behind bars yesterday after he promptly paid K400, as ordered by the Lusaka Magistrates Court, saving himself from joining Bowman Lusambo in jail by the skin of his teeth.
Kamanga’s troubles stem from FAZ’s failure to remit National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA) contributions for its employees.
Now, the country’s football governing body has been ordered to pay the K7,222,894.98 to NAPSA in three installments and pay K437,806.98 before January 31, 2025.
FAZ was dragged to court by NAPSA for failing to remit contributions and cumulative penalties in the sum of K7.2 million to for its employees.
The Association between January 11, 2014, and January 11, 2024, failed to remit contributions and associated penalties in the sum of K 7,222,894.98 to NAPSA for eligible employees as at December 2024.
In count one, FAZ failed to pay contributions in the sum of K280,710.25 employer and employee contributions and cumulative penalties in the sum of K4,804,273.14 for periods between January 2014 and December 2017.
In the second count, the association failed to pay statutory contributions in the sum of K150,080.24 employer and employee contributions and cumulative penalties in the sum of K1,966,273.34 for periods between February 2018 and November 2020.
And particulars in the third count are that, FAZ failed to pay statutory contributions in the sum of K7,015.74 employer and employee contributions and cumulative penalties in the sum of K14,526.09 for periods between March 2022 and December 2023.
Donning a grey suit, a calm Kamanga represented FAZ before Lusaka magistrate, Constance Kansankala and readily admitted the charges.
Kamanga said he had engaged NAPSA prior to being charged and promised to remit the pension contributions for employees.
Based on his own admission of guilt, magistrate Kansankala convicted him.
In mitigation, Kamanga begged the court to exercise leniency, on reasons that he was a first offender who deserves the same.
Magistrate Kansankala in passing her sentence said, failing to remit contributions was a serious offense.
“The convict is a first offender and has not wasted the court’s time, however failure to pay the said penalties is an offence and he was aware of the contribution. I fine him K400 in count one to three, and should be non cumulative, failure to pay he shall serve one month imprisonment,” said magistrate Kansankala.
Kalemba