A pub league football referee was bludgeoned to death after he ruled a goal was offside during a friendly match in Zimbabwe. Isaac Mbofana, 34, died on the spot after a fan battered him around the head with a log during the heated game last week.
The country’s Chronicle newspaper reported that Mr Mbofana had been running the line as an assistant referee when he ruled a goal was disallowed during the social match on a primary school playing field.
Police said a group of local fans reacted angrily to the decision, with one allegedly picking up part of a tree trunk and attacking the linesman by the pitch side.
Spokeswoman Thandiwe Khumalo confirmed officers had launched a murder probe following the incident, which happened last Thursday in the central village of Takawira.
The Chronicle reported that officers have named a local man Onismo Sichani, 31, as the main suspect in the murder.
Football is becoming something else. Imagine the strange decisions the Camerounian Ref and his linesmen did against Sunshine stars in their ill fated CAF semi final match. The decision of CAF to use a Camerounian Ref is suspect