By Emmanuel Muga BBC Sport, Dar-es-Salaam

Rajab is barred from Simba's match against Zanaco this weekend

The Confederation of African Football has suspended Simba's Mwinyi Rajab from playing in a Champions League tie against Zambia's Zanaco.

This follows the complaint made by the Zambian champions that Rajab was ineligible for the first-leg encounter played in Dar-es-Salaam two weeks ago.

Zanaco, who lost 1-0, submitted their protest after another Tanzanian side Yanga SC - archrivals of Simba - wrote a protest letter to Caf that Simba had used the Burundian player, who was still contracted to them.

Yanga signed the Burundian international midfielder last season from Inter FC of Burundi and insist no formal transfer has been made for him to join the Tanzanian champions.

"Caf ordered us to tell Simba not to use Mwinyi for their return leg match in Zambia," the Football Association of Tanzania (Fat) secretary general Michael Wambura told the BBC Sport website on Friday.

Wambura added that Caf will make a final ruling on 3 April when the Inter-club committee deliberates on the matter at Caf's headquarters in Cairo.

Simba insist they did follow established transfer procedures before signing the player.

"Fat regulations say that a player is free to sign for a new club at the end of every season," Simba SC secretary general Kassim Dewji told the BBC Sport website.

"Mwinyi was a free agent after his one year spell with Yanga and Fat endorsed him to play for us.

"Yanga are shouting because they are under fans' pressure for losing this key player.