- Mudenyu took AFC Leopards to the Sports Dispute Tribunal in September 2023.
- The club was found in breach of contract and ordered to pay KSh 991,000 debt in January.
- The amount has risen to over 1.5 million owing to interest and Ingwe could lose their bus.
12-time Kenyan champions AFC Leopards could soon lose their team bus if they fail to clear arrears totaling KSh 1,538,555 owed to former defender Robert Mudenyu.
This is after Mudenyu, who donned the blue and white Ingwe stripes for four years from 2019 to 2023, obtained a decree and warrant of attachment order from the Magistrates Court Milimani after the club failed to pay arrears owed to him.
Back in September 2023, Mudenyu, who currently plies his trade at Murang’a Seal, moved to the Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT), to report his former club over unpaid arrears totaling KSh 991,000.
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“The sum in arrears due in respect of the signing fee and monthly salary over his contract period since 2019 to 2022 totals to KSh 991,000.
He came to the Tribunal as a last option towards recovery of his dues. He also claims damages for breach of contract by the Respondent,” Mudenyu’s legal team stated during the hearing at the SDT.
After the hearing which Ingwe failed to attend, the Office of the Sports Dispute Tribunal found AFC Leopards to be in breach of contract between the two parties and relied on a letter from former CEO Victor Bwibo who acknowledged Mudenyu’s debt.
“The respondent is held fully liable for breach of contract. The Claimant relied on the letter dated 19 September 2023 written by Victor Bwibo, the CEO of the Respondent acknowledging the debt owed to the Claimant in the sum of KSh 991,000.
Former AFC Leopards defender Robert Mudenyu
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Accordingly, the sum is admitted and the panel finds that the same is due and owing to the Claimant,” the ruling read in November.
On 11 January 2024, Chairman of the SDT John Ohaga awarded Mudenyu the monetary compensation after finding Ingwe to be in breach of contract.
But since then, Leopards have not honoured any commitment towards repaying the debt forcing Mudenyu to obtain a decree and warrant of attachment order.
In that order, the Ingwe team bus is among the assets facing auction as well as furniture and any other movable assets under the club’s name.
Under Betico Auctioneers, Ingwe was served with the warrant letter on Tuesday 3 September 2024 with the club given seven days to repay the debt, failure to which may lead to the items listed being moved to the Auctioneer’s premises and sold by public auction.
Mudenyu’s amount has now risen to KSh 1,538,555 from 991,000 including interest accrued over time.
This situation mirrors previous incidents where clubs like Gor Mahia and Sofapaka FC lost their buses due to outstanding payments to former players.
In May 2024, Sofapaka had their team bus auctioned and sold for Ksh1 million by former players Michael Kibwage and Paul Kiongera who were seeking to recover salary arrears from the football club.
Gor Mahia also had their team bus auctioned for Ksh1 million by former player Wellington Ochieng in March 2023 to recover money owed to him in salaries and signing-on fee.
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