FKF Appeals body upholds Gor’s point deduction

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Independent Disciplinary Appeals Committee has upheld the decision to dock Kenyan Premier League champions, Gor Mahia three points for crowd trouble.

The KPL  Independent Disciplinary and Complaints Committee (IDCC) ruled to deduct the titleholders the points as punishment for crowd trouble caused by their fans in their league match against Tusker FC played on April 16 at Nairobi’s Nyayo Stadium.

The federation’s Committee is yet to rule on a similar case concerning arch rivals AFC Leopards according to a statement sent to the press on Monday.

“The IDCC directed itself appropriately in law and fact. IDAC holds that the IDCC conducted a fair and credible hearing, it was properly directed in law and fair to make the findings decision of May 26 and that the appeal does not raise any issues for consideration by this IDAC,” the ruling by the federation’s body read.

Gor filed a Memorandum of Appeal on May 27 a day after seeking to appeal IDDC decision on the grounds that the tribunal had erred in law and fact.

Some of the loopholes pointed out by the club include the ruling that K’Ogalo were responsible for the security of their supporters as the away team contrary to rule 3.5 of the Kenyan Football Rules and that they were denied a fair hearing.

Gor added that the tribunal relied on the uncorroborated oral testimony of GMT Ottieno and failed to give proof of the alleged pre-match meetings referred by the head of security at KPL.

They further argued that the tribunal failed to interview the steward wearing bib number 145 saying that he was a crucial witness and if the appellant’s stewards assaulted the second referee.

Gor protested that the decision to deduct them three points from their final championship tally of 2016 and the failure to consider Boniface Olouch disciplinary record and serving with a one match ban was a punishment not worth of the crime.

Those grounds were all dismissed in the appeal ruling.

The deduction saw K’Ogalo finish the first leg fourth on 26 points, three adrift of Tusker FC.