AFC Leopards face the prospect of losing their team bus to auctioneers following a recent ruling by Principal Magistrate S.K Onjoro that dismissed a Notice of Motion filed by the club on 6 September 2024, seeking to temporarily halt the process.In their application, AFC Leopards argued that a Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) ruling to allow former player Robert Mudenyu execution of decrees and attachment of immovable and movable property, offended the rule of sub judice, and that it (SDT) lacked jurisdiction to hear and determine an employment and labour relations matter.Senior Resident Magistrate Hon. S.K. Onjoro has dismissed an application by AFC Leopards, which argued that the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) lacked jurisdiction to authorize the auction of the club’s bus.The SDT had earlier granted former defender Robert Mudenyu permission to… pic.twitter.com/h8CiHghhod— Ole Teya (@TeyaKevin) December 20, 2024 Mudenyu, currently playing for FKF Premier League side Murang’a Seal, had on 25 September 2023 filed a case with SDT seeking compensation for breach of contract, and payment of an expired term of contract amounting to Ksh. 1,491,000.The defender claimed that he was unpaid over the period of 11 July 2019 to June 2022, and opted against a contract renewal on 30 June due to “non-payment and frustration.”In response to Mudenyu’s demand letter, former AFC Leopards Chief Executive Officer Victor Bwibo acknowledged owing him Ksh. 991,000, a sum that was awarded to the player by the court, and whose orders for compensation were adopted in a 11 January 2024 decree by former SDT Chair John Ohaga.Gor Mahia confirm interest in Benson Omala’s signatureIn response to AFC’s Notice of Motion at the Magistrate Court – that also borne an affidavit of Chairman Dan Shikanda – Onjoro noted that the club, though at liberty to vigorously question the jurisdiction of the SDT, was “simply grasping at last straws”, having dismally failed by opting not to raise a defence in the primary suit.The Magistrate Court also pronounced that it could not stand on appeal to review and /or ex-litigate the causes of action long and completely determined by the Sports Dispute Tribunal.“For what is worth, the respondent (AFC Leopards) has neither demonstrated nor attempted to demonstrate any sufficient cause to warrant this court’s discretion to set aside its orders,” the Principal Magistrate stated in the ruling, adding that the court in its pronouncement, had been deemed fanctus officio (final).##NAJAVA_MECA_8579450##The outcome now sees Ingwe on the verge of an auction by its former player, if it does not honor its part of the bargain.Sources indicate that a plan is in place by the club to initiate regular payments, but Mudenyu, in a September 2023 interview, stated that he expected AFC Leopards to “pay me the whole money at once.”AFC Leopards pursue out-of-court settlement with former staff amid legal disputesShould the situation escalate to the point of auction, Betico Auctioneers, who in October 2024 acted on behalf of Mudenyu in an attempt to possess club property, will be back, but this time with the greenlight to do so.Then, Betico valued the team bus at Ksh. 300,000.Wellington Ochieng speaks after Gor Mahia’s bus impounding
