Embattled midfielder of Obuasi AshantiGold SC, Seth Osei, says that the 30-month ban slapped on him for his supposed involvement in the match-fixing scandal will not stand.
According to him, he is innocent of the said charges because he does not patronise sports betting to deserve any punishment.
The Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Football Association on Monday, May 16, 2022, banned Seth Osei and eight other teammates of the Obuasi-based club.
The decision follows the team’s involvement in match manipulation in the game between AshantiGold SC and Inter Allies in the 2020/21 Ghana Premier League season.
The match in question played at the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium ended 7-0 in favor of the home side after Hashmin Musa from Inter Allies scored two own goals to spoil the supposed intended 5-1 fixed match.
An extensive investigation of the development established that the game was manipulated leading to the sanctions.
Seth Osei who spoke in an interview with Kumasi-based Pure FM said he remains innocent, therefore he is not worried over the FA’s prosecution of his involvement since there’s no “iota of truth in the claims.”
“Well, for me, I know that I’m innocent so I wasn’t worried about it. Yes, am innocent, why should I be worried, I’m not worried.
“Have I been banned? Well, it will not work because I have nothing doing against these accusations so I don’t think it will work” the former Real Valladolid player told Bright Kamkam Boadu.
He added that though his legal teams are working to appeal the sanction, he is adamant his serving God will intervene and fight for him.
“There will be so many things to happen because you can’t place a ban on what someone does as his profession whilst you have no proof.
“If you rely on what you’ve been told to ban someone then do you want to destroy the person’s future? I think God will intervene and fight for me, it will never be like that,” Seth Osei angrily expressed.
These, the player confidently opined that “I don’t believe in man’s verdict but only God’s verdict.”
According to the GFA’s verdict, the Prosecution revealed that, during interrogation, Richmond Lamptey formerly of Inter Allies and now with Kumasi Asante Kotoko stated that Seth Osei of Ashantigold SC called him at the entrance of their dressing room and asked him that “haven’t your bosses spoken to you ‘[that the outcome of the game is 5-1]?‟.
It added that another Inter Allies player, Fard Ibrahim also stated that Seth Osei asked him the same question twice on the field of play in both halves of the match.
Responding to claims, Seth Osei debunked the allegations and stated categorically that he never had any conversation with Richmond Lamptey and any Allies player as contained in the prosection verdict.
Meanwhile, AshantiGold SC has been demoted to Division Two with a fine of Ghc100,000. The sanctions will thereby take effect in the 2022/23 football season.
