Kenya Premier League side AFC Leopards Football Club is set to lose its team bus to auctioneers after losing a legal battle.Â
This comes after Senior Resident Magistrate S.K Onjoro dismissed an application by AFC Leopards, which argued that the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) lacked jurisdiction to authorize the auction of the club’s bus.
STD had granted a former player Robert Mudenyu permission to auction the bus in order to recover nearly 1 million shillings owed to him by the club.
AFC contested the decision in court arguing that STD does not have the jurisdiction to issue such an order.
AFC Leopards Bus Valued at Ksh. 300,000
Robert Mudenyu, who was a defender, sought legal action with the Sports Disputes Tribunal for unpaid arrears owed to him by the club.
He stated that the club owed him Ksh. 991,000. He also accused the club of wrongful termination of his contract.
The ruling was made in December 2023.
In September 2024, the club was on the verge of losing the bus to auctioneers, after auctioneers stormed the Jamhuri Grounds with police officers and youth on motorcycles.
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Fans however confronted the auctioneers at the Jamhuri grounds making it difficult for them to make away with the bus. The auction company, known as Betico Auctioneers has valued the bus at Kshs. 300,000.
With the court rejecting the club’s prayers, the auction of the bus will proceed as earlier intended.
The 28-year-old defender joined the club in August 2019 and played for the club until his contract was terminated in 2023.
Clubs facing a similar plight as Leopards
The bus, which is an iconic possession of the team, was donated by former President Uhuru Kenyatta. While handing over the bus to the team, Uhuru commended the club for its management and challenged it to raise standards even higher.
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Besides, Leopards, other Kenyan football clubs have found themselves in a similar financial crisis with players.
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In May 2024 Sofapaka Football Club’s bus was auctioned at Ksh. 1 million in order to settle outstanding salary debts owed to players.
Also, Gor Mahia FC’s bus was auctioned in March 2023. The club owed Wellington Ochieng, a former defender at the club salaries as well as sign-on fees that exceeded Ksh. 1 million.
The bus was auctioned off after being compelled by the court to pay off the former players’ dues.
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