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Uganda’s national football coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic has been convicted on two counts of sexual assault in South Africa.
The Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) Regional Court sentenced him to two separate three-year jail terms, both of which have been suspended for five years.
The Serbian coach has immediately appealed the ruling.
A short statement by Uganda’s football federation (Fufa) indicates that the 52-year-old will carry on his duties with the Cranes.
“Uganda Cranes coach Milutin Sredojevic asked Fufa for permission to attend to a private matter in South Africa,” it read.
“We have this afternoon received information that the private matter has been concluded for now. The coach will come back to resume his duties accordingly.”
The incidents happened in December 2020 while he was coach of the Zambian national team and was in South Africa to watch the regional Cosafa Under-20 Cup.
Micho had denied the charges that surrounded two incidents involving his behaviour with a 39-year-old woman, who was said to have been delivering coffee to him at the Wolfson Stadium, where she was working.
A statement from the court outlined the sentences handed down to the coach:
“For count one, he was sentenced to three years imprisonment which was wholly suspended for five years on condition that he does not again contravene section 5(2) of the Sexual offenses Act,” it explained.
“This section entails sexual assault in the form of inspiring a belief unto the complainant that he or she will immediately be sexually assaulted.
“For count two, Sredojevic was also sentenced to three years imprisonment which was wholly suspended for five years on condition that he does not again contravene section 5(1) of the Sexual offenses Act.
“This section entails sexual assault in the form of touching a complainant.”
Next month, Micho will try to lead Uganda to the third and final round of African qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
BBC