Sofapaka sued for unpaid salary by frustrated former defender

Former Sofapaka centre back Moussa Omar has moved to FIFA to petition the club to clear his salary arrears amounting to $7900 equivalent to Ksh.851 600 on current exchange rates.

The Burundian international had threatened to report the 2009 league champions to Zurich in March for their prolonged delay in clearing his arrears running to $9900 dollars which translates to Ksh.1, 071, 180 accrued while he was attached at the club.

His threats saw Sofapaka advance him $2000 to avert the wrath from FIFA who alongside CAF have been hard on payment defaulters.

On Thursday, CAF reminded clubs angling at taking part in the next season's interclub competitions to ensure that they have honored contractual agreements between them and their former players and coaches

The player who is currently attached to Police FC of Rwanda through his lawyer Ndayambaje Gilbert wants FIFA to order Sofapaka expedite the process of clearing with him after failing to meet their previous promises and deadlines.

Omar joined the club in January 2018 from on a two-year contract from another Rwandese outfit Bugesera FC. He left in August 2019 on mutual agreement however the club promised to clear with him by latest December the same year.

The soft spoken player who can be slotted as a right back rose to become one of the highly paid players says the snail pace by Sofapaka to pay him forced him to move to FIFA to seek justice.

Earlier, the club through its Chief Executive Officer Jimmy Ambajo in a letter dated March 25, the club attributed its delay to the economic effects brought by coronavirus and pleaded with the player to bear with them until August.

“Indeed, we acknowledge that we have an outstanding balance that is yet to be cleared by us. As you are aware, due to the COVID 19 situations, the club has been doing badly economically to an extend even as I write to you we are struggling financially to even sustain some of our budgets leave alone paying salaries to your colleagues,” read part of the letter.

Sofapaka who are scheduled to take on Gor Mahia this weekend broke the bank to sign more than ten players in the past two transfer windows.