Ghana Football Association Executive Committee member and veteran journalist Randy Abbey has opened up about his experience in court over the AshGold match-fixing case.
Abbey revealed that he was taken through a mini-trial in an Accra court where he had to answer questions about claims that the GFA was served court papers through him at the premises of the GFA.
“There was a mini-trial, I was put in the dock and cross-examined over the punishment meted out to AshGold over match-fixing… claims that they served the FA through me at the FA’s premises and all that,” he said.
Abbey further explained that the case ended with Justice Abodapki’s detailed judgment in what became his first time in court over a quasi-criminal issue.
“13 of us (GFA ExCo members) were cited, and I was the one having been served. No jokes… but at the end of the day, the judge agreed that they couldn’t prove their case. So, I was acquitted and discharged,” he added.
For the most part, Abbey’s revelation serves as a reminder of the importance of due process and the need for thorough investigation before leveling allegations against individuals.
Furthermore, it highlights the fact that even respected individuals such as Randy Abbey can find themselves in the midst of a legal battle, and the importance of legal representation in such cases cannot be overemphasized.
Abbey’s experience also raises the need for caution and professionalism in the sports industry, particularly with regards to match-fixing and other unethical practices.
In a nutshell, Randy Abbey’s experience in court serves as a lesson for all sports stakeholders to adhere to legal and ethical standards to avoid falling foul of the law.