Two players make police statement for beating up officer

Yesterday

APR 1-0 TP Mazembe (match abandoned)
Mafunzo 0-3 Rayon Sport

GUEST side and African Champions TP Mazembe have been expelled from the ongoing Kagame Cup tournament following their riotous behavior in a group match against local side APR yesterday at Amahoro stadium.

Team captain Trésor Mabi Mputu led the TP Mazembe’s protests after Ethiopian referee Girma Zekeria had turned down their claims for a penalty. By the time the match was abandoned, APR was leading 1-0 courtesy of Kabange Twite’s 34th minute strike.

After being given marching orders for his aggressiveness towards the referee, Mputu called on his teammates to walk off of the field.

Zekeria was chased around the field by a group of Mazembe players led by Mputu and as the official ran for his dear life, Basisila Lusadisu kicked him in the chest.

It took the intervention of APR skipper Patrick Mafisango and striker Chimanga Mutamba, who came to the official’s rescue from the uncontrollable Mazembe players.

The match was abandoned on the 41st minute and Cecafa issued an immediate notice expelling Mazembe from the competition.

Cecafa Secretary General Nicholas Musonye said, "We cannot afford this kind of indiscipline in our region. This is the second time that Mazembe is doing such an in disciplinary case in a foreign a country.”

"Last year, they did the same thing in Khartoum and we cannot afford it any more. We are going to book them on the next flight such that they can leave the country immediately.

"Even if the referee makes a mistake, no one is allowed to beat him. We have expelled them from the competition and stern measures will be taken against them,” Musonye said.
Both sides were meeting for the third time this year. Early this year, the pair clashed in the Orange Champions League where TP Mazembe finally went through on goals aggregate (2-1).

Meanwhile, by press time, both Mputu and Lusadisu were detained at Remera Police station for questioning in regard to their attack on a senior police officer.

National police spokesman Eric Kayiranga confirmed the detention of the pair but did not give further details, saying they were there (at police) only to make statement.

Ends