•Atraco deny doing any business with the Sudanese club

Atraco FC’s attacking winger Joseph Kabagambe’s transfer to Sudanese side Al-Neel has hit a snag after confirmed reports that the player has failed to get an International Transfer Certificate (ITC).

The former SC Villa player has confessed that he actually presented a forged release letter because Atraco officials had refused to hold talks with Al-Neel. "I had no alternative but to ask my people in Kampala to forge something and mail it to the Al-Neel team. These Atraco people will not stop me from moving because it’s my golden chance,” said a confused Kabagambe at the Palace Hotel in Northern Khartoum on Wednesday.

Atraco officials in Kigali denied knowledge of the move although the player had already pocketed a sign on fee of US$10,000 (Rwf 5.7 million) after Al-Neer receiving the forged letter.

Atraco vice president Issa Ngenzi said he did not sign on any document because he and the rest of the club administrators were not ready to sell their prized asset.

The player further told this paper that he was very desperate to make the move because Al-Neer had tabled a better deal but also not forgetting that his contract expires this month.

"Atraco are trying to force me to play for them in the Kagame Cup, but I will not listen to that because they are killing my future,” said Kabagambe.

Kabagambe’s forged letter had indicated that the six-month loan deal was accepted by Atraco in exchange for Nigerian striker Abdul Hakim Yekini.

But Atraco coach Sam Timbe expressed his disappointment with the player because they (club) advised him but he couldn’t listen.

"I will wait for the disciplinary committee to handle his case before I can include him in my team,” said Timbe, added that Kabagambe’s incidence destabilised his team, which lost 6-1 to El Merreikh on Tuesday night.

An agent for Al-Neel said that they will wait to see how things progress in the coming days before they make a final decision. "We like the player but certain things don’t seem clear.”

Dodo and Ferwafa speak out
Atraco chairman Col (Rtd) Ludovic Twahirwa (Dodo) strongly denied any knowledge of the transfer and insisted that if it turns out to be true, whoever is involved on the part of Atraco will be dealt with accordingly.

"We haven’t sold any of our players and we don’t intend to. Atraco went to Sudan to play (in Kagame Cup) not to sell players. Kabagambe is not for sell,” Col. Dodo told Times Sport Wednesday.

Asked what will happen if it turns out that the player had signed for the Sudanese side with the help of one or more club administrators, he said, "It’s not true because no player can be sold without my knowledge.”

On the fact that Ngenzi’s name was quoted in the forged document, he said, "Issa (Ngenzi) has no right to sell any player, and if he happens to be involved, we shall deal with him at an administrative level.”

When contacted about the issue, Ferwafa Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa admitted that he had heard rumours.
"Yes, I heard of it but what I was told was that Kabagambe had actually forged the letter,” he said.

"How can a letter from Kigali be signed by Issa (Ngenzi) who is in Sudan. Something is not right but we shall know the truth,” he noted.

It’s not the first time the Ugandan international has tried to leave Atraco under dubious circumstances.

Last year, he ‘signed’ for Uganda’s Express Fc after lying to them that his contract with Atraco had expired yet it still had one year remaining.

Ends