Rulani Mokwena clears the air on arrest in Algeria

Outgoing MC Alger coach Rulani Mokwena has explained the circumstances that led to his arrest in Algeria on Sunday.

Mokwena was detained at the Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers on his way out of Algeria after he had agreed to part ways with MC Alger, eight months into his contract, after a lucrative offer from Libyan moneybags Al-Ittihad Tripoli.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns coach was arrested and detained at the airport for being in possession of undeclared currency reported to be €14,200 (R272,855,13) in cash against Algeria’s foreign exchange regulations that only permit $7,500 (R125,419,15) to be exported.

Mokwena would be fined and handed a suspended two-month sentence and he has since explained what really transpired, saying it was an act of generosity from him that ended badly.

Rulani Mokwena explains his tribulations in Algeria

“We were on our way to Istanbul and there was myself and three other staff members,” Mokwena told Robert Marawa on Marawa Sports Worldwide.

“And I felt a little bit guilty that I was the only one in business (class). Then got to the airport and went to the airline and we were told we could upgrade the seats for the staff at the counter.

“So we got to the counter, cut a very long story short. We got to the counter, and then we were we were told we could only pay cash.

“Then tried to get some cash to pay, just to upgrade the seats and after, we were told we had to do it online, we tried to do it online, it was rejected because of it had shut down or the time it had lapsed, whatever reason it may have been,” he further said.

How did the tactician end up with the huge cash?

It was at this point that Mokwena was left with undeclared cash in his hands, leading to his arrest and subsequent detention before he was later released following the intervention of the South African Embassy in Algiers.

“And then we were still stuck with the cash,” Mokwena explained. “There was four of us and there was no one else that we could hand over the amount to. And that was the scenario.”

However, the 39-year-old coach wonders why the incident has been widely publicised yet he was just spending his money.

“But I don’t know if you can steal your salary or money that you’ve worked very, very hard for nine months, you’ve worked very, very hard for it, you know,” he said.