FKF Premier League side AFC Leopards has been slapped with a two-window transfer ban by FIFA on Sunday, June 5 over failure to pay former captain Soter Kayumba his Ksh1.8 million dues.
FIFA banned AFC Leopards from transferring or receiving new players for two consecutive transfer windows. Leopards will only be able to sign players after the 2022/23 season.
This is the third time Ingwe are finding themselves at loggerheads with FIFA over the case involving the Rwandan international.
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The first was in March 2021 when they were barred from signing players until they settled all his dues.
The two parties agreed on a payment plan which later the player complained that Ingwe had declined to honour, resulting in another transfer hurdle in February 2022. Still, Ingwe was later allowed to register players by the FKF Caretaker Committee.
Upon Kayumba's exit from the club, Leopards owed him Ksh 1.8 million which they disagreed on since he wanted the money in a lump sum and the club argued it was not in a position to pay the lump sum. The conflict saw them banned from transfers but still went on to conduct new signings.
It is the decision to register their mid-season acquisitions; John Makwata, Cliff Nyakeya, Victor Omune, Musa Oundo, and Josphat Lopaga that has come to haunt them.
The ban is a setback for coach Patrick Aussems who was keen on bringing new additions to the team.
The development came three days after a local betting company terminated its contract with the club and Gor Mahia before its expiry citing the tough economic situation in the country.
Kayumba joined Leopards in July 2019 from Sofapaka on an initial loan deal that was made permanent at the end of the season.
Last November, Gor Mahia was slapped with sanctions, they will be allowed to recruit players again in January 2023.