Medeama have launched all out war on Berekum Arsenals, who they accuse of knowing about circumstances leading to the brutalization of John Cudjoe. Both sides played a thrilling game on Wednesday, but the atmosphere before kickoff had been thick with tension. Reports emerged on Tuesday that John Cudjoe, Medeama’s Director of Operations, had been stabbed several times in strange circumstances. In the aftermath, Medeama have threatened to arrest Arsenals officials with any knowledge of the attack.
Walking in Kato
According to Medeama, Cudjoe was in the Kato area minding his affairs when thugs pounced on him and nearly lynched him. He sustained serious knife wounds to his eye, collar bone and back. What he was doing there on Tuesday night is yet to be ascertained, as the matter has reportedly been taken to the Divisional Commander in Berekum.
However, Alhaji chief executive of Arsenals denied any wrong-doing on the part of his club, but explained that he had been told Cudjoe had been caught while trying to undergo some rituals before their Ghana Premier League clash on Wednesday.
“I was not there, but I was told Cudjoe went to Kato which is an outlying precinct of Berekum to do some rituals. The people say they saw him late in the evening with some questionable materials. Since the people in that area are strong Arsenals fans, they pounced on him with the intention of stopping him from desecrating the water body there.”
“We have a tape”
In reaction, a furious Ebenezer Aidoo, spokesperson for Medeama accused Alhaji Yakubu Moro of being behind the incident and even trying to bribe the policemen. Aidoo spoke on Peace FM’s Peace Power Sports show on Thursday morning.
“That is not all these Arsenals officials did. They went as far as trying to bribe the police in an attempt to arrest and detain Cudjoe anytime we lodged the complaint. The tape of what happened at the police station is available and will be released. ”
These new allegations have raised the temperature even as John Cudjoe is slowly responding to treatment. Berekum Arsenals only recently finished serving a three-home match ban following similar beatings to the official after their fans beat up a match official last season against Liberty Professionals.
Precedent The Gunners were fined 8,000 Ghana cedis (US$ 5000) last season for the unruly behavior of their home supporters on match day 24 at the Golden City Park, with Alhaji Yakubu Moro also fined by for instigating the fans to attack the match officials, according to the GFA.
Players and match officials were held hostage on the field by the rampaging fans in the crucial game after Michael Helegbe had scored the only goal of the match with few minutes remaining. It nearly caused them to be relegated.
