ZIMBABWE Rugby Union president Losson Mtongwiza has rubbished claims the union received US $50 000 and misused it, as alleged by one Gerald Maguranyanga.
In a letter written to the Deputy Minister of Sport and copied to the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, Maguranyanga claims that he helped to mobilize US$50 000 for the senior men's sevens team - The Cheetahs ahead of their Africa Cup Sevens tournament held in Mauritius last month.
Maguranyanga claims that the funds did not benefit the players but were misused by the Zimbabwe Rugby Union executive members.
He added that the players who represented the country at the tournament were only rewarded with US$10 each.
Responding to the allegations, Mtongwiza said his union did not receive any funds from Maguranyanga and challenged the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to investigate the matter.
"We have not received $50 000, why is ZACC not doing anything?
"It's not like I live outside of the country, we are all here in Zimbabwe.
"If we had received the money as alleged and we failed to account for it surely we would have been arrested," he said.
Mtongwiza added that all players were well-remunerated.
"All the players were well paid, ask any player and ask him how much they got.
"Even the government itself has the power to ask the players as part of their investigations on the matter so that they can have an understanding that these are all falsehoods."
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For Mtongwiza, Maguranyanga's allegations are out of bitterness as he was campaigning for a candidate who lost in the Union's presidency elections held in May.
"When people like him make these allegations, we need to go back and ask why.
"Three months ago this guy (Maguranyanga) was backing another president and he went on social media openly declaring who he was backing.
"Unfortunately his candidate did not win and my question is could that be his issue?
"He is still yet to accept the position that I am the president hence all these flights," he said.
Mtongwiza added that to prove their innocence as Zimbabwe Rugby Union, they will soon take the matter to the courts for justice's sake.
"This mudslinging of going to the newspapers and spreading falsehoods will not take us anywhere, it will just end in courts.
"We can't continue to be quiet when someone is throwing mud at us, as alleged we received $50 000 but my question is from where?" he warned.
