BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - EXECUTIVE member of the St. Kitts-Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) Dominic Stevens has been banned from all football-related activities for four years because of charging grocery items for his personal use to the SKNFA’s account.
But, according to Stevens, the punishment is part of a plan to have him removed from the Executive.
In an email sent to the media, Stevens explained that he did charge groceries to the SKNFA’s account - which he acknowledges was wrong - but explained the circumstances under which it occurred.
During the interview however, Stevens explained that he went to C&C sometime in January 2014 to shop and, when the cashier had already cashed the items and he produced his wallet, he discovered that it did not contain his bankcard.
He claimed to have been advised that he could place the items on the SKNFA’s account and settle the bill when next he went back to the supermarket. He said he was also told that others had done it before.
Before he could get to his home - Stevens explained - he received a call from the President of the SKNFA, Anthony Johnson, who demanded that he return the items, adding that some talk of police’s involvement was made.
“I went home and came back the same evening with the card and gave it to Keith for him to settle that matter. But he indicated to me that because it was charged to the SKNFA’s account, which is an association’s account, he cannot accept cards, it must be cash. It was about to close, so he said I can come back on the Monday and I agreed.”
Stevens said he was eventually summoned to a meeting with the President and General Secretary Stanley Jacobs and was asked to resign from the Executive. He said he refused and was informed of an Executive Meeting to be convened to address his matter.
After showing up for that meeting about one week later, Stevens said he discovered that it was postponed but he was not informed. He stated that the General Secretary was present and he attempted to give him the sum of money but it was refused.
Stevens alleged that the money was refused because “the wheels were already in motion to go to Congress to get me off the Executive”.
He said an Executive Member informed him that in either late February or early March he was suspended by the Executive; a decision of which he was unaware, as he received no correspondence explaining such.
And after some back and forth, he was brought before the SKNFA’s Disciplinary Committee - the members of which Stevens claimed were “handpicked by the President” - and was banned from all football-related activities for a four-year period.
SKNVibes made numerous attempts to contact President Johnson but they were unsuccessful. The General Secretary was however contacted and it was explained to this media house that the transaction took place on January 18, 2014 and the SKNFA was alerted of it on the same day.
Jacobs said the sum of the groceries which Stevens had charged to the SKNFA’s account without authorisation is EC$1,215.80 and that, contrary to Stevens’ version of the story, the Executive “had exhausted all efforts to get Mr. Stevens to repay the amount. These efforts included face-to-face meetings with Stevens and the Executive; efforts encouraging him to go and settle the matter...”
He further explained that when that failed, the Executive took the decision on June 4, 2014 to suspend Stevens, and on June 26, 2014 he was brought before the Disciplinary Committee and banned from football-related activities for four years.
Congress is to be held this evening (July 3), and when asked if this matter would be discussed during the session, Jacobs said it is not on the agenda.
Stevens has since appealed the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and in the email he sent to the media, he raised a number of issues and made several accusations against the Executive which he told SKNVibes he wishes to raise at the Congress meeting.
