Rundu Chiefs FC New Signings Linked to Alleged NFA e-Connect Transfer Scandal in Erongo
The signing of two players by Rundu Chiefs FC has sparked allegations of unauthorised player transfers and possible abuse of the Namibia Football Association’s (NFA) FIFA e-Connect registration system in the Erongo Region.
The controversy involves Lee Hangula’s Java-Java, Okahandja Club & Agency, broker Paku, and the transfer of players from Erongo-based Celtic FC to Rundu Chiefs FC.
The allegations came to light following an urgent complaint by the chairman of Henties Bay United Sports Club, alongside concerns raised by other clubs, to NFA leadership, the Erongo Regional Executive Committee and the Erongo Second Division chairman. The complaint raised concerns about players being processed for transfers without the knowledge or approval of their parent clubs.
According to information obtained by The Updated World, Celtic FC management confirmed that its players, Friedemann Gerard Goraseb and Shikalepo Michael Gabriel, were processed on the e-Connect system for a move to Rundu Chiefs FC without the club’s knowledge or official approval.
The chairman of Rundu Chiefs FC confirmed to The Updated World that the club paid a total of N$14,000 for the two players acquired from Celtic FC, at N$7,000 per player.
The documentation seen by The Updated World also includes WhatsApp communications involving Lee Hangula, with payment instructions allegedly directing funds to the Java-Java FNB account before confirmation of e-Connect approval for Goraseb.
The chairman said the club understood that the transaction was legitimate and believe he communicated with the right person and that the person facilitating the transfers had the necessary authority to arrange the players’ release.
“We requested the release of the players and he approved it, then I sent the money the next day. I have the proof,” the chairman told The Updated World.
A payment receipt seen by The Updated World shows that the N$14,000 for the two players was paid into a bank account registered under Java-Java. The Bank Windhoek receipt, dated 26 September 2026, reportedly records a transaction from Bold Eagle Farm CC to an FNB account registered under Java-Java. The transaction reference reads “Rundu cheifs clearance fees”.
Celtic FC, however, maintains that the players belong to the club and not Java-Java, raising questions about the agency’s authority to facilitate the transfers and collect the money.
In response to the controversy, Lee Hangula, director of Java-Java, Okahandja Club & Agency, defended the organisation in a public statement.
“Java-Java Okahandja Agency is a fully registered company and a recognized agency for players’ welfare,” Hangula said, adding that its core mandate was player representation, scouting and club placement both nationally and internationally.
However, the central issue remains whether the agency had the necessary authority to facilitate the specific transfers and collect the money described as clearance fees.
Allegations have also emerged of a growing trend in the Erongo Region, where individuals allegedly ask Third Division clubs to request player transfers without paying transfer fees, only for the players to be sold cheaply to clubs in the Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL) or First Division. The alleged motive is to avoid paying the transfer fees that would otherwise be due to the players’ original clubs.
The controversy has prompted calls for the NFA to investigate the disputed transfers and establish how the players’ registrations were processed without the parent club’s knowledge or approval.
The NFA’s findings, together with responses from the individuals and organisations implicated, will be important in establishing what happened and determining whether any rules were breached.
About the Author
Karrel Hamutenya is a senior sports journalist at The Updated World, with more than five years of experience reporting on local sport in Namibia and international sports news.His work covers match reports, transfer updates, and exclusive interviews with athletes, providing fans with deeper insight into the game and the people behind it.
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