[ad_1]
Naasei Appiah. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)
- Former COO Naasei Appiah has challenged Fundudzi’s summary report, which alleges that he and former CEO Thabang Moroe spent R200,000 and R65,000 on alcohol with the company’s credit card.
- Appiah said he was not prohibited from buying alcohol, not for clients, sponsors, staff or board members, including the Membership Council.
- CSA admitted in its statement on Monday that the Fundudzi report was a one-sided version of events.
Former Cricket South Africa (CSA) chief operating officer Naasei Appiah, who was once its chief financial officer, questioned Fundudzi’s summary report released Monday, noting his bias.
In the report, compiled by CSA’s Bowmans law firm, it is alleged that Appiah was involved in the South African Cricketers Association (SACA) failed payments debacle, suspected of Mzansi Super League rights deals, as well as with respect to the (incorrect) name “Service Provider X”.
Furthermore, Fundudzi’s summary report accused Appiah and former CEO Thabang Moroe of “excessive or irregular spending on alcohol” using the company’s credit card in the amount of R201 372.80 and R64 830.50, respectively.
Appiah, who is challenging his dismissal in labor court, punched holes in the summary report’s allegations against him.
Appiah said he was never interviewed by the Fundudzi Forensic Services auditors. When asked by CSA to volunteer information related to the investigation, he said he declined on the grounds that he was suspended at the time and CSA froze his salary.
“My general opinion is that I am not worried about that summary because there are many questions surrounding it,” he said.
“Try to paint me that I spent R200,000 on alcohol. The question you need to ask yourself is this: we are in the sports business, and over a four-year period, if I spent R200,000 on alcohol, was it all at once, how many people and who were they?
“Once you get all that information, you start to realize that it really isn’t a problem. Most importantly, I was not prohibited from purchasing alcohol, not for clients, sponsors, staff or board members, including our Council of Members.
“The report even tells you that there is no credit card policy.”
The CSA itself admits that the Fundudzi report is biased. In its press release on the release of the summary report, the organization clearly states:
“While we do not claim that the report is inaccurate, it is important to understand that Fundudzi’s forensic analysis is a one-sided report, and not all of the above persons or parties have had an opportunity to respond to the findings thus far.. “
CSA is in the process of contracting the services of the third-party service provider to address the loopholes in the Fundudzi report, especially with regard to those implicated giving their right of fair response.
Appiah said he wanted to see the contents of the full report, which is expected to be delivered to the parliament’s sports portfolio committee on Friday.
“My challenge is that (the summary report) is not a forensic report,” Appiah said.
“That is a report written by someone within the organization and there will always be prejudices about it.
“The forensic auditors were commissioned to do a report on the entire board and management of CSA and we should see that (full) report.
“If management or the board is now summarizing it and presenting what their point of view is, then that’s just their version. I want to see the full report. “
