Did Muhoroni boss hire goons to beat players?

 Moses Adagala Photo: Courtesy

Respect him for single-handedly working so hard to build the status of Muhoroni Youth from a village outfit to the Kenyan Premier League (KPL), but on the flip side, Moses Adagala has gained notoriety for being in the news for wrong reasons.

If not for taking off with gate collection, it is beating up a player or assaulting a match official. He has always denied any wrongdoing, despite the myriad of accusations levelled against him. But he has also not been very convincing in his explanation.

Just over a week ago, two players accused Adagala of hiring goons in the name of club security to beat them up.

Muhoroni FC team captain Lwamba Bebeto and leading striker Wycliffe Ochomo, claimed they were assaulted by goons said to be members of Adagala’s security team.

“After our friendly game with Zoo Kericho, I went to his (Adagala’s) place and requested him to pay me, considering that I was unwell and wanted to use the money for medication. But he rudely told me that he did not have money. I had no option but go back to my place,” claimed Bebeto.

Later, Bebeto claims, “We were violently woken up and attacked by people who claimed to be acting at the behest of Adagala to investigate whether we had sneaked women into our rooms. It was around 11pm. Our house doors are currently broken,” claimed Bebeto, adding that, “They took me to his place and started beating me in his presence. They even threatened to kill me. I was saved by a colleague who got wind of what was happening.”

Adagala has however denied the accusations.

“ What happened when the player was attacked was very disturbing, because these are my players whom I value. How can I organise for them to be beaten by goons?” Adagala told The Nairobian, adding that, “Muhoroni Youth has no goons on its payroll. We have our own security who respect the club’s code of conduct and rules that govern our game.

The players have since lodged complaints with KPL where Adagala sits as one of the members of the governing council and also chairs the youth committee.

This is not the first time Adagala is being accused of behaving more like a thug than a club chairman.

Sometime in October 2012, he allegedly stormed into a room in which the gate collection was being counted and took off with the money — Muhoroni had moved their home game against AFC Leopards to Nakuru in the hope of cashing in on gate collection.

As per standard practice, the stadium management is entitled to a percentage of the gate collection, but Adagala knows nothing like that.

So when the money (Sh401,000) was being counted, Adagala reportedly accompanied by club goons, stormed the Afraha Stadium manager’s office and in the ensuing melee, took off with the money.

“Muhoroni Youth officials, led by chairman Moses Adagala, entered the stadium manager’s office after the tallying of ticket sales, causing a commotion which resulted in the disappearing of the gate collection,” read a communication from Football Kenya Federation.

Trouble started when the stadium manager Ditmas Munialo, told team officials that they had to pay the statutory 20 per cent.

However, officials from Muhoroni refused to have the cashiers deduct the money and Adagala, with a group of goons, pushed aside the stadium staff and took off with the cash, leaving the official ticket agent Ticket Masters and FKF officials in shock.

Last October, Adagala went into hiding after a complaint was lodged at the Nyayo Stadium Police Post by referee Nasur Doka, who claimed he had been attacked by Muhoroni Youth goons led by Adagala. Doka was confronted by a rowdy mob as he was walking out of the pitch.

A man whom he identified as Muhoroni Youth chairman, Moses Adagala, reportedly attacked him after the match claiming that he had denied his team a penalty.

The police Occurrence Book indicated that within no time, a crowd had gathered around Doka and many people, including Adagala, were shouting at the centre referee.

“I cannot tell who really hit me, but all I recall is that I was hit in the back as I was being rushed out by security officers,” said Doka

“Adagala came to me and told me to my face that ‘never cross my path, I will kill you,’ but I told him I do not fear death,” said Doka.

Adagala has also been previously accused by KPL of failing to protect a fellow chairman, Laban Jobita, from attack by his team’s supporters at the Muhoroni home ground during a match against Western Stima. Jobita’s iPad was reportedly damaged during the attack that resulted in the home club being fined over Sh300,000 by the KPL’s Independent Disciplinary and Complaints Committee.

Muhoroni Youth fans are also getting the tag of hooligans. They have previously assaulted AFC Leopards fans in Muhoroni and stoned Ingwe’s bus. Last month in Mombasa, they also attacked Bandari fans in a league game.

KPL has stated it will take action against club fans or officials found to be culpable.

“We have received complaints about Muhoroni Youth fans and officials. The cases are serious and we are following up on the issues raised,” said KPL Chief Executive Officer, Jack Oguda.