High Court slaps Shs50m fine on Uganda League

High court judge Margaret Oguli Oumo has ordered the Fufa Super League (FSL) to pay a fine of Shs50m following disagreements over the brokerage commission for the broadcast deal of Azam TV.
The league managers have had a long running legal battle between Tadeus Kitandwe and former journalist Alfred Odong over the sharing of the commission fees arising from a three-and-a half-year $1.9m (Shs5.4b) deal signed in 2015. The brokers were entitled to a 10 per cent commission.

From the onset, Kitandwe reportedly objected with the idea of sharing the money with Odong, who is understood to have taken the initial steps into luring Azam TV to Uganda’s football. Odong ceded his status to Kitandwe, who was seeking an executive role at the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa).

Contempt of court
On March 20, Lady Justice Oumo ordered the FSL and Kitandwe to pay a combined fine of Shs60m for contempt of court. An earlier court order issued on April 12, 2016 had stopped the FSL from paying Kitandwe any commission monies until the case was disposed off. But the FSL went ahead and paid Kitandwe commission money just two days later. According to the order, FSL is directed to pay Shs50m within 30 days and Kitandwe Shs10m. Kitandwe is threatened with a prison sentence if he fails to pay.

“All monies in issue and payable from Fufa Super League Ltd be paid directly to court to avoid a repeat of the violation,” the court order reads in part. Before the main suit is heard on May 10, Justice Oumo told parties to go for mediation. Whereas Kitandwe has reportedly already been paid up to about $70,000, he is willing to offer his accuser 30 per cent of the remaining $120,000 but Odong insists on 40 per cent.

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