With Khama Billiat having completed a big-money return to Zimbabwe, we take a closer look at the reported funders of the deal, including a gold dealer and a wealthy pastor.
The story
After spending a full season without a club, Billiat has now joined Zimbabwean top-flight side Yadah Stars FC. The club is said to be owned by Prophet Walter Magaya, who officially opened the club’s new 5000-seater The Heart Stadium in December 2023.
According to News Zimbabwe, Billiat was paid $20 000 (R378 668) as a sign-on fee and the club chairperson Everson Chatambudza has confirmed that the forward has penned a one-year contract.
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Given the hefty cost of the move, it is now apparent that the move required some significant investment by a number of prominent figures and business people in the country.
The founder, Magaya, is the leader of the Prophetic, Healing and Deliverance Ministries, and has amassed a lofty 108 000 followers on Instagram. According to ABTC, the famous tycoon had an estimated net worth of $140 million (R2.6 billion) in 2022. His business portfolio is said to include ventures in television, health, manufacturing, exports, housing, mining, and agriculture.
Another high-profile figure who was spotted alongside Billiat this week upon his return to Zim is Scott Sakupwanya, a gold magnate and a member of the country’s Parliamentary Committee. The mogul is the owner of one of Yadah’s leading sponsors Better Brands. He was named as Zimbabwe’s “number one” gold deal in Al Jazeera’s explosive corruption scandal investigation ‘Gold Mafia’.
Sakupwanya has an established reputation as a big spender, as he is known to dazzle in luxury cars and high-end clothes. In 2023, he reportedly flew in American boxing legend Floyd Mayweather for a whopping appearance fee of $250,000 (R4.7 million), according to Unicorn Riot.
Billiat will reportedly earn a monthly salary of $5000 (R94 667), which make him the highest paid player in the Zim top-flight, according to Soccer24.
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