Former Kaizer Chiefs footballer Brian Abbas Amidu has been arrested in Zimbabwe after being caught with nearly 800 kilograms of cannabis.
The incident has reignited long-standing debates about the player’s real age, which had already been questioned during his football career.
The seized drugs are estimated to have a total street value of around US$78,000. Amidu, who is listed in local records under the name Tumirai Matsika, appeared before the Kwekwe Magistrates’ Court alongside 41-year-old Kudzai “Reuben” Mhlanga. Both men face drug trafficking charges and are currently being held in custody.
Zimbabwe’s The Herald newspaper reported that prosecutors described the bust as one of the largest operations in the Midlands province this year. Police records list Amidu’s age as 29, but football databases such as FotMob and Transfermarkt indicate that he was born in 1990, which would make him around 35 years old in 2025. This discrepancy has fueled social media debates over his true age.
In Africa, it is not uncommon for some players to understate their ages to qualify for youth tournaments or secure professional contracts. Considering these past patterns, some speculate that Brian Abbas Amidu may have been involved in a similar case of age falsification.