The Simataa Simataa lead faction of the City of Lusaka Football club yesterday reported the Justin Zulu Faction to the police for trespass and misconduct after the latter encroached the pitch at woodlands stadium claiming that they had a scheduled match.

Simataa’s faction was scheduled to play against Young Green Buffaloes Football club at woodlands stadium on Sunday but the match was called off after the Justin Zulu faction intruded into the pitch demanding to play against the opponents.

In an interview with News Diggers! Monday, Simataa explained that he had successfully lodged a complaint to the police saying the actions were tantamount to trespass and misconduct.

“I have just come out of Woodlands Police. I went to report a problem of trespass yesterday as well as misconduct. Now I am general manager of City of Lusaka Football club (2000) Plc. We own woodlands stadium. And nobody else not a football team, nobody else so its our property. And by the way we have even posted notices around the stadium through our lease indicating that there is a right of admission reserved. So yesterday, the Football club was engaged in a week three game of the FAZ division one zone one league against young Green Buffaloes football club. And it was scheduled to start at 15 hours,” he narrated.

“It was whilst when that particular game was taking place that a crowd of people invaded our VIP grand stand demanding to come in, claiming they were scheduled to play and claiming they had come to support their team. So, we told them we were not aware of their arrangement and asked them to simply pay to watch. They overpowered our security and let in a group of people dressed in Football jerseys and who proceeded to one of the dressing rooms. The security managed to contain the situation but some of their supporter raided, got into the VIP, others remained outside. Those who remained outside mobilized themselves again and went round to the western wing of the stadium and forced their way into the open wing. Security reorganized and quarantined the other so-called team in the dressing room and passage way. In the meantime the referees arrived rather late,” he explained.

He said the intrusion occurred after referees had inspected his team and Green Buffaloes and had released the two onto the pitch.

“They went to inspect the City of Lusaka Football team, they inspected the young Green Bufaloes Football team and both teams were released to go onto the ground. The normal practice of Football. But before the referees could join them, the other team overpowered the security and burst into the pitch and invaded it. After a while, the Security again remobilized went onto the pitch to ask them to leave. When that happened, their fans started climbing the parameter fence, came onto the pitch to their rescue. So, there were arguments, the referees called off the game. So, for us that’s a trespass and misconduct. We were able to identify ring leaders. They were basically lead by the Justin Zulu former executive, whom we have all identified and handed over to the Police.”

He said he did not understand why the Football Association of Zambia had maintained that they recognize the Zulu-led faction when the board of directors at City of Lusaka Football club was declared redundant.

“They are claiming that they are also on the club, they are claiming that the Football Association of Zambia recognizes them. We cant understand up to now how FAZ has continued to recognize them. We don’t. other than FAZ saying they are elected committee, we don’t understand why they want to hold on to that position. Elections can be changed. You can be elected out, and the Football Club Plc board of directors declared them redundant last year. But FAZ still insists that they recognize them. So we wonder what role they have played in this impact,” complained Simataa.