Ohilwe AWOL, goes to Vietnam?

Thato Kala | Wednesday November 20, 2013 15:30

The national team defender was last seen at the club’s Mascom Top 8 game against BDF XI earlier this month.

Ohilwe did not finish that game after being pulled out due to a thigh muscle injury.

The club’s policy is that injured players attend sessions so their progress can be monitored, but BMC coach Daniel Nare confirmed that the player had not attended a single session since the BDF XI game.

“The question now is – was he really injured? If that is the case, how has he attended trials while injured?” Nare questioned.

BMC owner Esfandiar Ghodrati said they had only heard that Ohilwe traveled to Vietnam. Apparently, Ohilwe phoned one of his teammates Tshepo Maikano telling him he was leaving for Vietnam and had not been able to get hold of the club’s officials.“We heard he has gone to Vietnam, he has been on injury leave. I have to find out from his manager about his whereabouts,” Ghodrati told Mmegi Sport.

Ohilwe is managed by Moran Nthoiwa, who is thought to have arranged the trial. Nare said he had given a report to management and would hear what decision they make on the issue. “I’m very disappointed with the whole arrangement; he is a senior player and my captain. If a player wants to go abroad the logical approach is to talk to the club. We have always known he wants to play outside the country and we have an open policy such that no one will stand in the way of a player who has an offer outside,” Nare added.

A source within the club said the player recently asked for a P3, 000 advance from management saying he had to attend to something urgent. “He actually asked for a P3, 000 advance recently and now we think he needed that money for this trip,” said the source.

Ohilwe has had a bumpy fling with the club even before Ghodrati took over.

Last season, he found himself in a stalemate with the club after handing in a transfer request only to be told he would either have to forfeit three months’ salary or pay P18, 000 if he wanted out. 

The club had deducted money from his salary over disciplinary issues related to late coming for training. His contract stated that the club would deduct a certain percentage for late coming and non-attendance of training sessions.

The player was unhappy about the deduction, prompting him to resign. Three months ago, he was linked with a Slovakia club FC Nitra, but the deal fell through.