SIX Chipolopolo players and a physiotherapist found their hotel rooms ransacked moments before playing Mozambique in a Rwanda 2016 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier in Maputo.
Boyd Mkandawire, Christopher Munthali, Toaster Nsabata, Benson Sakala, Spencer Sautu and Salulani Phiri including Physiotherapist Davies Mulenga found money and other personal valuables missing when they got back to the hotel rooms after having lunch ahead of the game they drew 1-1 to qualify to the CHAN finals on 4-1 aggregate.
About US$1,050 (K13,650) cash was stolen from the team that was lodged at Afrin Prestige Hotel, a five star hotel in the centre of Maputo.
A livid delegation leader Lee Kawanu described the incident as disappointing and immediately engaged the Zambian Embassy in Maputo to help solve the problem with the Diplomatic Police notified on the incident.
“It is very disappointing that a five-star hotel can allow such baloney to happen. But this has not dampened the mood in the team at all and we are happy that during the match, the affected players showed no signs of being distracted by the incident.
“I’m very confident we will get to the bottom of the issue. But this is really unacceptable. The affected people lost between US$50 and US$200 each,” Kawanu said in Maputo.
Immediately the matter was brought to the officials’ attention, FAZ demanded an explanation from hotel management on what exactly happened. But after getting unsatisfactory response, the FAZ officials demanded that the hotel management identify workers that cleaned the affected rooms.
As the team left Maputo for Zambia, the matter was handed over to the Embassy.
“We have asked the Embassy to follow up the matter on our behalf and they have engaged the Diplomatic Police to help get to the bottom of the matter,” Kawanu said.
Distraught with the incident, FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya asked that the players be given money from the FAZ coffers equivalent to what they had lost as investigations progressed.
“The president (Kalusha Bwalya) has instructed me to refund all the victims of the robbery while we wait for the issue to be resolved. This is very good for the team,” he said.
[Times of Zambia]
TOO BAD WISHNG EVERY THING TO BE OK
Faz has money to pay in advance sorry boy
Some countries can just never be trusted, too much of barbaric behaviour.
This is a disgrace. Five star hotel? No security cameras? There should be top level security at such a hotel. The FA should pursue this till …….Zambia deserves , first, an unqualified apology from Mozambique. Second a thorough investigation by Mozambique & perpetrators punished accordingly. Third, victims compensated fully.
to bad
I agree with everyone here. The Mozambique FA needs to apologise to FAZ and the team. This is a disgrace for Mozambique shame!
Too bad for our boys next time don’t leave your valuable items in the hotel room, hand in all valuable item eg Cell phones, I pad ,Money and passports to the technical bench, this is very common
do not leave money and valuables in your rooms chapwa. u are lucky kalu is exposed and you have been refunded. For the hotel its all shame
These Macambicans, how can you steal from guests in a 5 Star Hotel? Don’t they have safe deposit boxes in those so-called 5 star hotel rooms? Nga kanshi ama hule teti yale mipyangila Budo no Mzulu onse?
In 1980, as the Zambian Olympic contingent stopped over at the Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport in Roma, on their way back from the Moscow Olympics, the delegation leader decided to take a walk and a breather outside the Airport Premises. They stood on the Concourse of the Arrival Lounge, chatting.
Suddenly a motor bike with two riders stopped next to them, the Italian Muzungu, who was a passenger jumped off and grabbed the handbag the delegation leader had under her armpit. This handbag contained USD30,000 in traveller checks and cash, the balance from the Olympic games. Suffice to say at this time the Kwacha was stronger than the Dollar (1.00 USD = 0.80 Ngwee). Before she could raise alarm and before anybody could react the man ran towards the motor bike jumped on it and they sped off into Roma.
The Zambian contingent arrived in Lusaka minus medals and money.
So when teams travel, there are serious LOPOLA’s out there. In Holland we call their city, Amsterdam, as Amsterdamaged. Some of the best pick pockets on earth are found there. In Kenya you have Nairoberry, you will either be robbed or ‘stoned’ with flying toilets (featal matter in a Kariakoo Bazaar Carrier bag). In Mumbai don’t let beggars surround you, you are dead. In any South African City, you all know the story.
So our beloved Chipolopolo be careful whenever you travel. Wish you boys well in the CHAN tournament. I can see you going far.
So when they were stealing they were talking in Portuguese? I had a wrong picture about this language, I thought it was romantic.
The thieves thot the $1,200 each was given 2 the Zambian players lol