I've not been arrested - Ex-Asante Kotoko goalie Banahene rubbishes reports

Former Ghana and Asante Kotoko goalkeeper, Maxwell Owusu Banahene, has clarified that he is not the individual who has been arrested for alleged fraud.

He revealed that someone has been impersonating him and using his name to dupe people by promising to help them secure visas for overseas travel.

Banahene told Peace FM that became aware of this imposter about eight years ago but never met him in person.

He emphasized that he is not the only person named Owusu Banahene, and it is possible for others to impersonate him.

“What will make one say I have been caught is because of the name. I am not the only Owusu Banahene and secondly, there are times when people can impersonate me and for that reason, the person is arrested.

“There have been several instances in the last 8-years where people get arrested and all that but later freed. I have never met the said person before so I don’t know if the current person is the same or someone else,” Owusu Banahene told Peace FM.

Banahene expressed his frustration at suffering backlash from people who mistake him for a fraudster.

He recounted instances where he invited individuals who falsely accused him to meet him in person, only for them to fail in identifying him among his teammates.

He said, “There was a time when I was with Berekum Chelsea someone called me and verbally abused me with the same story that I came to Yeji to defraud people after claiming that I will help them travel. I even allowed the person to meet me in person with other players and he couldn’t identify me because I am not the one. I always have to explain to people that I am not the one.

“I sometimes have to go out of my way to show pictures of myself with players of Michael Essien in 1997 to prove my innocence. I have had to go to Yeji to prove my innocence to the people that I am not the one. I have been advised to report the case to the police because one day someone can just attack me,” he added.

Banahene played for clubs such as Hasaacas and Asante Kotoko. He was part of Ghana's Black Starlets squad that won the 1999 CAF U-17 AFCON and earned a bronze medal at the U-17 FIFA World Cup in the same year. Additionally, he won a silver medal with the Black Satellites team at the U-20 FIFA World Cup in 2001.

JNA/KPE