Theft allegations against Ghana team in Maputo

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the 10th All Africa Games (AAG) insists some items were missing at the Black Meteors base in Maputo, Mozambique.

Officials of the Momemo Hotel and the LOC reported the Meteors to the camp of Ghana, accusing them of taking away towels, bed sheets, cups and spoons after spending a night at the Hotel in Maputo, Mozambique.


Penalva Cezar, Deputy Director and Spokesperson of the LOC said at a press conference on Wednesday in Maputo that indeed the items were missing after Ghana’s team left the hotel.


Cezar whose statement attracted some level of surprise on the faces of journalists and after he was pressed further, he said, he was informed of the incident by officials of the Hotel on Sunday and upon further checks they discovered the things were indeed missing.


When quizzed further about the allegations he said "I can confirm that we lost some towels, bed sheets and other things at the hotel and we immediately contacted the Ghanaian delegation.


"As I speak to you now, some members of the LOC, hotel officials and Ghanaian delegation are having a meeting to resolve the issue.


"I hope by the time they finish with the meeting an amicable solution will be found to the problem." He stated.

Cesar said "Ghana is not the only country to have involved in this. At the Games Village, we retrieve a lot of bed sheets and towels from delegations of other countries.


"We have therefore instituted a compulsory search by security officials of all delegates who are leaving the Village for their respective countries. This is to ensure that no one takes away such items". He stated.


He said Mozambique has a perfect relationship with all African countries and will ensure that is protected.


Officials of the Black Meteors, Randy Abbey, Chairman of the Management Committee and Sabhan Quaye, Team Manager have however rubbished the allegations describing it as baseless.


Efforts by the GNA Sports to pick the outcome of the meeting, however, failed as the meeting was still in session at the time of filling the report.