Referee Samuel Sukah exonerated by review panel

Referee Samuel Sukah, who officiated Asante Kotoko’s 1-0 loss to Hearts of Oak, has been freed of any charges by the Match Review Panel.

Referee Sukah’s decision to award an 82nd minute penalty to Hearts, following his call for a handball against a Kotoko defender, has generated controversy. Many called for him to be sanctioned after the Match Day 8 fixture.

The Panel’s recommendation after a review of the video said the referee should not be suspended. He was invited by the Executive Committee of the Ghana Football Association on Wednesday, March 22 for another review.

“The Committee concluded that Referee Samuel Sukah was right in the decision he took, as the ball indeed hit the arm of Kotoko’s defender in jersey number 14,” a statement sighted by 3news.com said. “The Committee further noted that the defender took a risk in diving to block the ball, which hit his elbow.”

The Committee, therefore, approved a decision not to sanction the referee. Meanwhile, referee Justice Adu Poku has been suspended for the rest of the season over a penalty decision in the match between WAFA and Tema Youth.

Referee Adu Poku awarded a 57th minute against Tema Youth, a call that was said to be a “bad penalty”. WAFA won that Match Day 6 fixture on March 12 2-1.