(From Mamudu Gariba, GNA Special Correspondent, Oberhausen, Germany. Courtesy Areeba)
Oberhausen, Germany, June 30, GNA 96 Joseph Langabel, a member of the Ghana Supporters Union and a lead drummer has categorically denied allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him in Germany. He said reports being peddled around that he pinched the breasts of a German lady were false as he never did that, but was arrested on a false allegation for a crime he never committed.
Langebel told the GNA Sports after his release from the police cells that he was arrested when the police saw him standing with a friend's sister late in the night.
He said that a German boy had approached him at Buisburg and requested for a Black Stars T-shirt and from then, they became friends and moved together for about two days before the boy again requested for another T-shirt for his sister.
The drummer said later in the day, he and Sherif, a Ghanaian photographer were invited to a party by the boy but Sherif later left the party to buy some food and around 2.30 am, the German friends asked for snap shots with him and while the boy was conversing with a friend nearby, he also stood with the girl chatting.
Langabel said it was then that three policemen came around and asked why he was standing with the girl, adding that they asked him to accompany them to the police station.
He said he was surprised that neither the boy nor his sister was questioned by the police.
The drummer said the police compelled him to enter their patrol car and they then drove straight to the station where they charged him for pinching the breasts of the girl.
Langabel said a policewoman later interrogated him and told him that he was being charged for pinching a girl's breast, a charge he denied. He said he was however detained.
He said the following day, the girl's father came around and he was informed that he was to be sent to court that day unless he paid 1000 Euros.
The girl's father paid half of the amount while he Langabel paid the rest before he was sent to the nearest train station from where he journey to rejoin the supporters for the match between the Black Stars and Brazil.
Langabel said it was only at the stadium that he heard that he was arrested for pinching the breast of a girl.
