Bribery scandal slurs Ghana win over Niger
Ghana’s 3-0 win over Niger at the ongoing 2013 Africa Cup of Nations has been slurred by allegations of bribery against Niger defender, Koffi Dankwa.
The Stars convincingly beat the Mena 3-0 in their Group B encounter last Monday at the Nelson Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth, to seal their place at the knockout stage, but the result has come under scrutiny following the relationship between Ghanaian-born defender, Dankwa and some members of the Ghana team in the build-up to the game.
A reliable source within the Niger team confirmed to GNA Sports that Dankwa has been fingered for his role in their ultimate Group B clash, claiming the defender churned out an ordinary display compared to the previous games against Mali and DR Congo.
According to the source, Dankwa, a former player of Stay Cool Professionals (now Zaytuna FC) was in close contact with unnamed persons within the Ghana team.
He said it has also emerged that the 24-year old, who resides in Dansoman when on holidays in Ghana, enjoyed a night out with Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan on the eve of the crucial match, which the Mena needed to win advance to the last eight.
The source further claimed the central defender was offered 10 million CFA Francs (20,000 US Dollars) by an unnamed official linked to the Ghana team to play it ‘soft’ against the country of his birth.
Dankwa, according to the source allegedly made contacts with his defensive partner Mohamed Chicoto, in a bid to rope him in the supposed deal, but the latter flatly refused to join the plot to throw the game to the Black Stars.
According to the source, the Ghanaian-born defender was summoned to a meeting by official of the Niger Football Federation (FENIFOOT), after the game as the latter sought to fish out the root of the allegations.
Attempts to contact officials of FENIFOOT to respond to the matter has proved fruitless as the team left Port Elizabeth for Johannesburg en route to Niamey on Wednesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, efforts to reach officials of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for their side of the story proved futile.
Source: GNA