Richard Appiah (in red attire) is a former footballer sentenced to prison
GhanaWeb Feature by Benjamin Sackey
When news broke that Richard Appiah had been handed a life sentence for the murder of two children, members of the public welcomed the verdict as a long-awaited act of justice.
The ex-footballer’s career took a dramatic down after committing such an atrocious act that captured national attention.
As a retired footballer who plied his trade in Ghana and abroad, few expected Appiah to commit such a heinous crime that endangered the lives of innocent people.
This feature highlights Richard Appiah’s football career and how his sentencing unfolded after the incident.
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Football Career
Appiah began his career with Mankessim United in the Central Region Division Two League in 2016.
In 2017, he joined Cheetah FC, also in the Central Region Division Two League, and won the top scorer award, establishing himself in the colts league.
Following his exploits, he moved to Champasak United in the Lao League in Southeast Asia, where he emerged as the Best Player of the season and topped the goal-scoring chart with 21 goals.
His success attracted interest from Ethiopian side Saint George SC, where he eventually signed a six-year deal with the club.
Reports indicated that before sealing the move abroad, top Ghana Premier League clubs such as Accra Hearts of Oak, Asante Kotoko, Liberty Professionals, and others showed strong interest in signing him but he opted for a career outside the boundaries for Ghana.
Appiah’s early breakthrough also earned him a call-up to the national U-20 team, the Black Satellites, where he featured in several matches.
Murder and Imprisonment
However, on February 24, 2026, it was announced that Richard Appiah has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of two children in Abesim, Bono Region,
The sentence followed a unanimous guilty verdict returned by a seven-member jury in the trial of the former footballer, who was found to have killed two teenagers and stored the remains of one in a refrigerator.
Appiah, who was 28 at the time of the crime, had been standing trial since 2022 before the court presided over by Justice Ruby Aryeetey.
The case stemmed from the killing of 12-year-old Louis Agyemang Jnr and 15-year-old Stephen Sarpong in August 2021 at Abesim near Sunyani. Prosecution evidence revealed that the victims’ bodies were discovered in a locked room in the accused’s residence.
One of the bodies was found lying in the room, while the other was retrieved from a refrigerator.
A pathologist informed the court that one victim died from strangulation, while the other died from severe blood loss.
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