Sam Ampeh, the former goalkeeper for Kumasi Asante Kotoko and the Black Stars, has shared a poignant account of how bribery allegations made against him led to his mother’s demise.
In a conversation with Dan Kwaku Yeboah, Ampeh revealed that despite his mother’s unwavering belief in his innocence, the stress from the accusations adversely affected her health, ultimately resulting in her passing.
Ampeh’s mother, who sold roasted plantain along the Nsawam stretch of the Accra-Kumasi highway, faced the brunt of the supporters’ actions, who would jeer at her due to the allegations against her son.
“I hail from Akuapem, and I’ve lost both parents. The bribery claims by Asante Kotoko’s management against me took a toll on my mother. She insisted on my innocence but succumbed to the stress of the ordeal,” Ampeh recounted to Dan Kwaku Yeboah.
The accusations date back to 1981 when Ampeh was implicated in a bribery scandal following Asante Kotoko’s 3-1 defeat to a Guinean club in the CAF Champions League.
Years l
ater, Ampeh stands firm in his denial of any wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations were baseless and that he faced unjust treatment from both the club and its supporters.
Reflecting on the match in Guinea, Ampeh recalled on Peace FM, “We had won the home leg 1-0 but lost 3-1 away. It was Papa Camara’s era; they were formidable. The rumors began in Guinea, escalated on the flight, and intensified upon our arrival in Ghana. The club’s management was displeased with me, although I hadn’t made any glaring mistakes to justify the fans’ accusations.”
Source: Ghana Web