Orlando Pirates star Thembinkosi Lorch suspended over domestic violence sentence

Orlando Pirates star Thembinkosi Lorch has been suspended from all club activities until December 12, 2023.

Lorch received the suspension after a Randburg Magistrates Court found him guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Fundiswa Mathithibala, in a 2020 domestic violence incident.

He allegedly slapped and strangled his then-girlfriend after she asked about his whereabouts when he disappeared. The two planned to go out together. In July, the Randburg Magistrates Court convicted Lorch of assault.

Lorch appeared in the Randburg Magistrates Court on Tuesday, November 21, where the magistrate gave him a five-year suspended prison sentence and fined R100,000.

Reacting to the judgement, Orlando Pirates said it has taken a firm stance against gender-based violence and will not tolerate any form of abuse by its players or staff.

The statement read;

“The club conducts the administration of justice in a way that avoids double jeopardy – where players would be punished twice for the same offence. The above is consistent with the club’s values, without which the club would not function judiciously. That said, the club has withdrawn Thembinkosi Lorch from all club activities until December 12.”

Lorch is one of Orlando Pirates’ most influential players, having won the PSL Footballer of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year awards in 2019. He has also represented the South African national team, Bafana Bafana, on 13 occasions.

Source: www.lindaikejisblog.com