PSL prosecutor denies ‘anti-sundowns’ speculations

PSL prosecutor Nande Becker has denied that there is an agenda against Mamelodi Sundowns as perceived by some. The Brazilians are facing up to five more charges, ranging from minor to pretty significant, even after recently being found guilty of fielding an illegal player in their 1-1 draw against Bidvest Wits.

The Brazilians are facing up to five more charges, ranging from minor to pretty significant, even after recently being found guilty of fielding an illegal player in their 1-1 draw against Bidvest Wits. That case specifically has rankled Sundowns fans, as a sentence for that infringement will only be handed down on Friday 10 April, nearly six months after the incident even took place.

Premier Soccer League (PSL) chair Irvin Khoza has vehemently defended the legal actions of the organisation‚ especially pertaining to clubs‚ as above board‚ fair and lawful. This is after speculations that any decision against sundowns may be bias as Khosa’s team is leading. Khosa emphasized that the PSL prosecutor Nande Becker is fully independent when dealing with such cases.

The sanction could be crucial in the league title race as only a point separates Sundowns and Orlando Pirates at the top of the table with Wits also still in the run, however, sundowns face possible point deduction which could result in a one-point deduction for Sundowns and a 3-0 win handed to Wits, which could have major consequences on who wins the title – leading to suggestions the defending champions were being victimised.

Becker has vehemently denied all the speculations raised against him.

” it’s not that I am against them. Many matters come to my desk, I mean this season alone I have dealt with 50 cases from the 32 clubs in the NFD and Premiership. The charge sheet was drafted in November. We then ran into the difficulty of not having a DC chairperson available from December 11 to January 15 because our majority of the legal profession was on leave.
The matter was set to be heard on February 6. The matter was then postponed to the 25th of February at the request of the respondent Sundowns and a finding was handed down on April 2. The date for argument on the issue of sentencing will be on Friday (April 12).”