The President of the Ghana Retired Footballers Welfare Association (GRFWA) Mohammed Elias Pele, has called on the Ghana Police Service to urgently investigate and arrest individuals behind what he describes as “false and damaging” reports implicating Benjamin Asare in an alleged theft at the Black Stars camp.
Reports circulating on some media platforms claimed that the Ghana national football team and Accra Hearts of Oak goalkeeper was absent during Ghana’s recent international engagement due to his alleged involvement in a theft incident at the team’s camp in Vienna.
The unverified reports further alleged that the incident, said to have occurred at the team hotel ahead of the game, involved the disappearance of valuables, including luxury watches belonging to players and officials.
However, the player’s club, Accra Hearts of Oak, has strongly refuted the allegations, describing them as false, malicious, and defamatory. The club has called on security agencies to take decisive action against those responsible for spreading the claims.
Aligning with the club’s position, Mohammed Elias Pele, a former professional footballer and godfather to Asare condemned the reports, stating that they are calculated attempts to tarnish the reputation of a promising national asset.
The One God Forever Limited, CEO, in an interview with the media, stressed that the spread of unsubstantiated allegations by bloggers and some media practitioners must not be tolerated, urging the Ghana Police Service to act swiftly to identify and prosecute those behind the publications to serve as a deterrent.
Meanwhile, sources indicate that the Ghana Police Service has commenced preliminary investigations into the matter, with some administrators of online platforms reportedly invited for questioning to assist with ongoing inquiries.
As of now, the Ghana Football Association is yet to issue an official statement on the alleged incident.