Bosso seek compensation from bank

Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
HIGHLANDERS Football Club have approached the People’s Own Savings Bank (POSB) seeking compensation over the use of its copyrighted trademark in an advertisement without prior permission.

The financial institution has been flighting an advert with an image of a purportedly Bosso fan clad in the team’s fake logo embedded jersey together with two Caps United supporters promoting its electronic cash transaction applications on the print media.

The Bulawayo giants official registered Bossolona, Tshilamoya, Cry Mantengwane, Amahlolanyama, Ezikamagebhula, Ngenkani, Highlanders FC, the club shield (logo) with the 1926 inscription, Siyinqaba and Bosso last year.

Highlanders have for years watched as individuals took advantage of their club popularity by making counterfeit regalia whose sale has not benefited the club financially.

While the club occasionally pounced on those selling the counterfeit regalia, they could only confiscate the stuff and let the culprits go scot free.

The registration of the trademarks is expected to bring that to an end as Bosso is now empowered to have such individuals prosecuted.

Highlanders secretary and acting chief executive officer, Emmett Ndlovu said the club decided to engage POSB with a view of getting compensation after coming across the advert on local newspapers.

He said the banking institution had used their trademark without their permission.

“They did not engage prior to the flighting of the advertisement. The advert is for commercial purposes and naturally we would want to be paid for the use of our brand. We wrote to them on the issue and we are awaiting a response,” he said.

Efforts to get a comment from POSB were fruitless as public relations manager, Simukayi Mutamangira said he will call this reporter back to respond to questions on the matter but had not done so by the time of going to print.

Caps chief executive Cuthbert Chitima could not be reached for comment to ascertain if they were in the same predicament with Highlanders

Highlanders are reeling from a $800 000 debt and the club’s financial situation could be dire this year following the reduction of the sponsorship package by BancABC.

@rasmthembo