Uganda Rugby Cranes player Ivan Magomu, has been suspended for six months and stripped of his captaincy after being found guilty of bringing the game of rugby into disrepute.
The ruling was handed down by the Uganda Rugby Union Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Jeroline Akubu, following an investigation into a controversial social media post made by the Pirates Rugby Club player.
The ruling stems from a post shared by Magomu on his official X platform on July 31, of a letter from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, which directed the National Council of Sports (NCS) board to replace its General Secretary, Dr. Bernard Ogwel, with another person in his role as accounting officer.
The Disciplinary Committee, which also included members Peter Waiswa, Brian Tabaruka, Ramsey Olinga, Emmanuel Fudribo, and Edmond Owor, found Magomu guilty of bringing the game of rugby into disrepute due to his post.
In delivering the ruling, Akubu emphasised that Magomu’s accusations were pre-mature, noting that the matter had not yet been resolved by a court of law.
“We noted that for Ivan to bring attention to that matter and say that Dr. Ogwel and company are corrupt is premature based on the fact that the matter has not been brought to its logical conclusion,” Akubu stated during the ruling.
Akubu further explained that the post implicated Dr. Ogwel and others, presuming their guilt without the backing of a court ruling saying, “Matters like that need to be investigated, prosecuted, and heard by courts of law. Only then should we be able to say that Dr. Ogwel and company are corrupt.”
As a result, the committee determined that Magomu’s actions warranted disciplinary measures of a six-month suspension and loss of captaincy.
Magomu faced a second charge related to the abuse of match officials during the Nile Special Rugby Championship final on June 1, 2024, where it was alleged that he verbally and physically attacked the referees during the match.
However, the disciplinary panel did not rule on this charge, agreeing with Magomu’s lawyer, Timothy Kajja, that the case was out of time.
Kajja successfully argued that, according to the law, the charge should have been brought forward within 48 hours and the individual charged within two weeks.
Despite not ruling on the first charge, the panel recommended that the Uganda Rugby Union executive committee takes measures to address similar incidents in the future.
They advised cautioning players against such behavior and ensuring that the rules governing the game are consistently communicated to them.
Magomu and his legal team have 72 hours to appeal the decision. They have already indicated their intent to challenge the ruling through all available channels.
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