A footballer who earned a Zambia Under-20s call up at 17 is scheduled to stand trial accused of rape on Monday (March 30).

Loveday Mumbuluma, now 21, of Southwell Road, Norwich, is accused, but denies, a single count of raping a woman in Chelmsford on Sunday, September 8, 2013.

He will appear in the dock at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Mumbuluma, who played for Chelmsford City FC’s under-18s and under-19s sides, earned a call up to Zambia after sending over some grainy home-video footage.

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A FORMER Chelmsford City FC youngster accused of rape has denied the charge.

Loveday Mumbuluma, 20, who used to be on the books at Chelmsford City Football Club and has represented Zambia at youth level, is alleged to have raped a woman in Chelmsford city centre on Thursday, August 8, in 2013.

He pleaded not guilty to the offence at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday.

Mumbuluma, a striker, who played for Clarets youth and reserve sides up until 2013 also represented Zambia’s under 20s. He played in a prestigious tournament held in South Africa in December 2011.

Mumbuluma will return to Chelmsford Crown Court in March next year for trial.

SOURCE: http://www.chelmsfordweeklynews.co.uk/news/11463842.display/

Shock Zambia call for City’s Loveday

SOME grainy video footage has earned a Chelmsford City youngster the chance to play in a major African football tournament.

Loveday Mumbuluma, 17, said he was as surprised as anyone when he found out that he had been selected for the Zambia Under-20s but aims to make the most of the shock opportunity to represent the country of his birth.

“I sent pictures and a video and they liked me,” he told the Chronicle. “My footballing CV as well was pretty good and that’s how I got in to the Zambia squad.

“My friend’s mum was videoing one of the games at Chelmsford City and I just sent them that really. I’m confident about it but nervous to meet new people.”

The striker has already flown out to Lusaka, Zambia’s capital, and if he sufficiently impresses in training this month the Melbourne resident will play in the COSAFA youth championships in December – a tournament which involves the best teams from Southern Africa.

The title is currently held by Zambia and Loveday, a Chelmsford College pupil, knows he’ll have to be on his game right from the start.

“I think they start with 28 and it gets taken down to 23 within two or three weeks,” he said. “Because they have the cup I think the training will be quite hard core – I had no idea this cup was coming up when I sent them the video and it was just like ‘wow’ I got in!

“I’m a little bit excited and a little bit nervous. I’m travelling on my own. I can see that some areas are dangerous but it depends on which area you’re in.”

As Loveday explains, it wasn’t the most conventional of call-ups when he received the good news three weeks ago.

“My name was in the newspaper in Zambia,” he said. “My sister happened to call her mother-in-law and she was reading the paper that said I was on the squad. I didn’t really know what was going on.

“Then two weeks later I got the e-mail from Zambian Under-20s to say I had got in.”

Having left Africa when he was just seven the chirpy youngster says he can remember little of his childhood growing up in Lusaka. He then moved to the UK after his mum, Regina, got a job as a nurse in Chelmsford.

As one of six children he says he didn’t particularly take to sport at an early age, partly because footballs were in scarce supply.

“Before I came to this country I did play football but I didn’t really like it because they used to make footballs out of plastics,” he said. “You can buy footballs there but it used to be quite expensive. So we used to make footballs out of plastics.

“We kind of made a round ball and just played with it.

“I used to end up kicking cups and stuff around and that’s when my mum ended up buying me a football.”

From then on the fascination grew for the Arsenal fan and he’s played ever since including for Chelmsford City’s Under-18 and Under-19 teams.

“I would like to play in the Chelmsford City first-team hopefully in the next year or so,” he said. “By Christmas some of the Under-18 boys will be selected to train with the first team.

“I have signed a reserve contract so I could be one of those.”

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