GBA Adjourns Impersonation Case

The Arbitration Panel/Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) has adjourned a case of alleged impersonation of boxer Alfred Quaye to October 30 to hear from more witnesses.

The first hearing which took place last Wednesday at the office of Mr Moses Foh-Amoanong, the GBA Chairman, had the complainant, Alfred Quaye and the accused persons in attendance.

The sitting was presided over by Lawyer Peter Zwennes, Chairman of the Arbitration Panel and Disciplinary Committee and three other members Mr Quaye, Dr D.C. Sonne, Dr S.A. Quaye and Mr Foh-Amoaning.

Speaking to the Graphic Sports, Lawyer Zwennes revealed that the complainant was given the opportunity to present his case after which three of the accused persons, Referee Roger Barnor, Coach Believer (Abdul Rashid Williams) and Otoo Lartey, a match maker, were given the opportunity to defend themselves.

The fourth accused person, Coach Darko Ricketts, an assistant trainer, at the Wisdom Gym, however, could not appear before the committee because he is currently in Burkina Faso.

According to Lawyer Zwennes, the committee realised the need to invite two more persons to testify since various versions were not enough to determine the case.

“We will also write to the Spanish Embassy in Accra and the Spanish Boxing Federation to verify whether or not Quaye was impersonated in a visa application as well as the fight in question. We will also do the necessary checks with the web site, boxrec, as well as conduct our own separate investigations to ensure that the truth is found out,” he said.

In another interview Dr S.A. Quaye said “Alfred Quaye mentioned his uncle, one Mr Ankrah, and Referee Roger Barnor also pointed accusing fingers at one other person who is supposedly inciting the boxer against them. So we also need to hear from these persons before the committee can make a final decision,” he said.

Quaye alleged in the September 30-October 2 edition of the Graphic Sports that the four had impersonated him in a fight with one Jorge Perez (7-0) in Spain in November last year.

He said Roger Barnor, Otoo Lartey, Abdul Rashid Williams (Believer) and Darko Richetts, managed to prepare him, including processing his passport for the bout, but it eventually turned out to be a fiasco. A publication on boxing web site, www.boxrec.com, indicated that Quaye had fought and lost to Perez when he had not even travelled to Spain.

The next sitting will be held at the same venue.

Story by Nathaniel Attoh