Interim Management Committee member of Asante Kotoko, James Kwasi Appiah has narrated the attacks he suffered during the brawl between fans of Asante Kotoko and Nsoatreman FC on Sunday, January 2, 2025.
The head coach of the Sudanese national team detailed that he was hit in the eye with a sachet of water after five heavily built men attacked the VIP section.
He explained that Nsoatreman had promised tight security with 120 policemen at the venue; however, only 20 were present.
“They told us they would bring 120 police officers, but the number of officers present was not even up to 20,” he told Ghana Sports Page.
He further shared that he suffered an attack in the stands after declining to join Nsoatreman FC owner and former Member of Parliament Ignatius Baffour Awuah in controlling the fans following a scuffle that had escalated from the field to the crowd.
He claimed that Baffour Awuah, who was not pleased with his refusal, incited some fans to attack the Kotoko supporters in the VIP section.
“The MP asked me to go and calm the fans down, but it was his supporters causing the trouble, and we were outnumbered. The Kotoko fans in the VIP section said, ‘No, we won’t let you go because it’s risky.’”
“The MP got upset that we didn’t join him on the field and incited the fans to attack us. Five macho men came to the VIP section, saying they wanted to take Nana Pooley and the Ashanti Regional Supporters Chairman. We asked why since they had done nothing wrong, which led to a fight,” he added.
Kwasi Appiah mentioned that he was hit with a sachet of water during the violent brawl before Baffour Awuah, who is also a former Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, instructed the fans to stop.
“I even got hit by a sachet of water in the process. It was only after that incident that the former minister intervened and told the fans to stop, and they finally did.”
“As soon as they stopped, I left the stadium and did not watch the game again.”
The Nsoatreman-Kotoko fixture was overshadowed by a series of scuffles that occurred before, during, and after the game.
Popular Kotoko fan Nana Pooley tragically passed away in one of the scuffles that occurred after the game when he was stabbed five times.
EE/EK
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