The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) says 15 people were arrested for gate fraud during the NBS Bank Charity Shield match between FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers at Bingu National Stadium on Sunday.
According to FAM, some incidences were reported that led to revenue leakage.
“The Malawi Police Services (MPS) apprehended 15 suspects who are currently being interrogated. We hope that the law will take its course and MPS will keep updating us accordingly,” reads part of the statement released by FAM.
The match, which was aimed at raising funds to support victims of the tropical cyclone Freddy, doubled the MK10,343 million which was raised last year when Bullets played Silver Strikers at Kamuzu Stadium.
According to FAM, the money collected on Sunday is the highest since the Charity Shield was introduced in 2016
In addition to the MK20.351 million from the NBS Bank Charity Shield, FAM will also channel MK10,148,160 from the revenue realized from the AFCON qualifier match between Malawi and Egypt for the cause in response to the public appeal made by the State President, His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera on 13th March 2023.
The association says it will collaborate with Red Cross Malawi on how the funds will be used to reach out to the victims.
“Part of our support will also extend to football stakeholders who were affected by Cyclone Freddy and football legends who are struggling. We will in due course advise specific targeted areas to benefit from the donation,” continued the statement.
In addition to the funds, the NBS Bank Charity Shield has also helped to raise awareness of the devastating effects of Cyclone Freddy and that more needs to be done to ensure that the victims are adequately supported.
Cyclone Freddy Situation Overview
Over 600 people have died. This figure may surpass 1,000 because 533 people are still missing.
Over 564,000 are displaced and are living in camps (577 camps), and 1,724 people are injured.
Apart from people’s homes, public infrastructure such as roads, bridges, schools and hospitals have been badly damaged and will require huge sums of money to repair and rebuild.
Livestock and crops have not been spared; 285,500 livestock have been affected including 194,000 dead. The floods also damaged over 200,000 hectares of crops out of which nearly 120,000 hectares were washed away.
The sad part is that this devastation is coming at a time when levels of food insecurity is high and food prices are increasing every day. We believe that the NBS Bank Charity Shield donation will go a long way to mitigate the sufferings of the victims.
The Charity Shield is FAM’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility program. It aims to engage and mobilise football stakeholders and the public towards a charitable cause of national significance. Since its inauguration in 2016, the Charity Shield has touched and impacted many lives.
2016 – Malawi Blood Transfusion Services
2017 – Various medical equipment donated to Kamuzu Central Hospital
2018 – Braille embosser donated to Ekwendeni School for the visually impaired and various physiotherapy and medical equipment donated to Kachere Rehabilitation Centre
2019 – People with albinism. Under the theme, One Love – Stop the Killings, the FAM Charity Shield advocated against all barbaric acts targeting people with albinism which reached crisis levels. A rescue vehicle and donated to the Association of People with Albinism in Malawi. We are glad that football helped to bring awareness to end such barbaric acts.
Last year the NBS Bank Charity Shield supported victims of Cyclone Idai in the lower districts of Chikhwawa and Nsanje. Over 186 households, comprising 4,930 people were assisted with foodstuffs and survival kits bought from Charity Shield proceeds.
Some additional reporting from FAM
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