On November 14, Hoang Anh Gia Lai FC (HAGL) Executive Director Nguyen Tan Anh and administrative staff Dang Thi Ngoc stated that they had sent a criminal accusation against player Dzilah Martin to the Gia Lai Provincial Police.
HAGL FC has sent a criminal accusation against player Dzilah Martin to the Gia Lai Provincial Police
In a conversation with NLD (Nguyen Lao Dong), Mr. Nguyen Tan Anh shared that on November 11, 2024, he, along with other relevant individuals, including witnesses, were invited by the Gia Lai Provincial Police to clarify issues regarding HAGL’s allegations against player Martin Dzilah for defamation, fraud, and intentional damage to the reputation of LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai JSC and HAGL FC.
This meeting led to the criminal accusation filed by Mr. Nguyen Tan Anh and Ms. Dang Thi Ngoc against player Dzilah Martin, addressed to the Director of the Gia Lai Provincial Police.
The content of the accusation is as follows:
On October 5, 2023, LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai JSC (HAGL FC) and player Martin Dzilah signed an Employment Contract (for professional players) with a salary of 5,000 USD/month. The contract was effective from the signing date until the end of the 2023/2024 V-League season (ending on June 30, 2024).
In the third match, player Martin Dzilah sustained an injury, and HAGL FC arranged for his successful surgery at Van Hanh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, covering all expenses. Subsequently, due to Martin Dzilah’s inability to meet professional requirements, HAGL FC and the player negotiated an early contract termination. On March 21, 2024, LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai JSC and Martin Dzilah agreed and signed a Mutual Termination Agreement.
According to this agreement, Party A (LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai JSC) compensated player Martin Dzilah a total amount of 20,000 USD, equivalent to four months’ salary remaining on the contract. We, representing HAGL FC, directly handed over the money to player Martin Dzilah. After receiving the full amount, Martin Dzilah acknowledged the receipt of 20,000 USD in the agreement.
The Mutual Termination Agreement was drafted in both Vietnamese and English, with both versions holding equal legal validity. As of March 21, 2024, player Martin Dzilah was no longer under the management of HAGL FC and was free to register to play for any other club (subsequently, Martin Dzilah trained and trialed with Hai Phong FC).
However, in early September 2024, we unexpectedly received a decision from FIFA, ordering HAGL FC to pay player Martin Dzilah 29,000 USD based on his complaint: “HAGL FC terminated the contract with player Martin Dzilah for unjustified reasons, forcing the player to sign the Mutual Termination Agreement and acknowledge receipt of payment without actually transferring the money to his account.”
In fact, HAGL FC representatives paid player Martin Dzilah 20,000 USD in cash at 3:00 PM on March 21, 2024, in the meeting room of Hoang Anh Gia Lai Corporation, located at 15 Truong Chinh, Pleiku City, Gia Lai Province.
In their accusation, Mr. Nguyen Tan Anh and Ms. Dang Thi Ngoc alleged that player Martin Dzilah’s actions bear signs of defamation, as stipulated in Article 156 of the 2015 Criminal Code, as amended and supplemented in 2017. Additionally, Martin Dzilah’s complaint to FIFA, demanding an additional 29,000 USD from HAGL FC despite signing the Mutual Termination Agreement and acknowledging full payment, also indicates potential fraud, as outlined in Article 174 of the 2015 Criminal Code, as amended and supplemented in 2017.
HAGL FC will pursue the matter to get a clear resolution.
Therefore, Mr. Nguyen Tan Anh and Ms. Dang Thi Ngoc requested the Director of the Gia Lai Provincial Police to summon player Martin Dzilah for a face-to-face confrontation with club representatives and conduct a handwriting analysis to verify Martin Dzilah’s signature, aiming to clarify the acts of defamation and fraud, leading to the appropriation of property from LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai JSC.
Mr. Nguyen Tan Anh affirmed that he and Ms. Dang Thi Ngoc, as well as LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai JSC and HAGL FC, are determined to pursue the matter to its conclusion to obtain a clear and transparent resolution.
NLD will continue to update readers on further developments in this case.
Previously, on November 8, 2024, Mr. Nguyen Tan Anh sent a document to the Immigration Management Department of the Ministry of Public Security, the Director of the Gia Lai Provincial Police, and the Criminal Police Department for Social Order Crimes of the Gia Lai Provincial Police, requesting the authorities to prevent player Martin Dzilah from leaving Vietnam.
