Rawlings Believes Abedi Pele Is Innocent

Ex-president Jerry Rawlings has affirmed his conviction that Abedi Pele is innocent of any wrongdoing in the recent match fixing scandal. “I have not doubt at all that he is innocent,” the former President said in a brief chat with the Lens newspaper. In the view of ex-president Rawlings, Abedi Pele has no reason whatsoever to engage in this unfortunate conduct given the international image he has earned over the years through his achievements on and off the field.

“I know personally some of the eminent personalities Abedi is close to in the world. It is therefore inconceivable that he will want to destroy all that goodwill and destroy all these relationships by engaging in such a scandalous act.” It will be recalled that the Disciplinary Committee of the GFA recently penalized FC Nania, Abedi Pele's club, by among others nullifying the result of the match played between FC Nania and Okwahu United.

FC Nania and Okwahu United were also both demoted from the Division One football league to Division Three. Other sanctions included the ban on certain officials of the two clubs, Abedi included, from having access to the dressing rooms and from sitting on the bench of the banned clubs. Abedi Pele has subsequently filed an appeal and is hoping to get the decisions rectified.