ZAMBIAN FOOTBALLER SENT TO JAIL
A Zambian footballer spent 28 days in solitary confinement at
an army barracks as punishment for absconding from his military
club and going to South Africa for soccer trials, the BBC reported
on Friday.
Striker Linos Chalwe was released this week after spending almost
a month locked up by the Zambian military after leaving for trials
at the Cape Town club Hellenic.
The 24-year-old left without permission after his club, Green
Buffaloes, refused to allow him to travel to South Africa where
he had been offered a chance at a professional contrcat.
Chalwe, who is a soldier by trade, told the BBC he had been forced
to do manual labour during his solitary confinement for being
leaving without permission and had missed Christmas celebrations
with his family.
The club’s chairman Lt Colonel Diamond Chimnona defended the action,
telling reporters Chalwe was a soldier and had been punished for
being absent without leave.
Chalwe was not signed by the South African premier league club
after two separate trials.
Green Buffaloes play in this year’s African Confederation Cup
after finishing as runners-up in the Zambian premier league in
November.