16-year-old footballer allegedly sodomised by his coach, battling for life in hospital

A 16-year-old football player named Ransford has reportedly being sodomised by a coach at his club, Siano Soccer Academy, and is currently fighting for his life in the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi.   

The 16-year-old footballer’s mother from Asamanye in the Ashanti Region describes the horrifying and upsetting circumstances of a young child who has endured sexual assault for the previous three years.

The mother of the youngster who enrolled in the Amasaman-based soccer academy three years ago said on Oyerepa FM that she had previously rejected the prestigious WAFA Academy and did not want to release her son to the club.  

She was afraid of ruining his son's football career because several scouts had noticed his potential, so she grudgingly allowed him to join the squad. She now regrets her choice because the coach, known as Ibrahim Anyass, has turned the boy into a victim of sodomy.

She narrated the unfortunate incident as quoted by Ghanaweb below:

I was initially hesitant and didn't want my son to leave home because of how he is. He's someone who does not like eating and needs special attention so I always wanted to be close to him. Eventually, I had to release him because I didn't want to be accused of blocking my son's path to success. He was taken to a team at Amasaman in Accra. For three years, I visited him periodically with food items until recently when I fell ill.

She also disclosed how the coach refused to answer her calls when she tried reaching out to her son while she was ill.

While I was unwell, I tried consistently to reach the coach but he never answered any of my calls. After successive failures, I used someone's phone to call the coach and he picked this time around. I spoke to my son and told him that I had been unwell for some time. I also quizzed him on why he had never called me and he said their phones were seized.

According to her, the son later got sick and his team coach lied about him receiving medical treatment.

Two weeks later, I received information that my son was sick so I called the coach who downplayed the seriousness of the situation. As a mother, I was not okay with the situation so I decided to visit the place and see things for myself. The coach had promised that my son was receiving healthcare but I discovered that it wasn't true. He only took him to the hospital on the eve of my visit.

She was worried upon seeing the son's condition, pressed him to tell her the truth about his sickness and he finally revealed that he was being abused by his coach.

Immediately, I saw my son, I knew that he would be dead if I didn't take any action within three days. So I forcefully brought back my son and for the last three months, we've been moving from hospitals. I thought he had been cursed so I pressed him to tell me the truth about his situation. One day, he told me that he was sodomized by the coach. He immediately went into a coma after the confession and for the past three months, he has been battling for his life. I haven't slept since.

Coach suspended by club while mother appeals for support

Club representatives of Siano Soccer Academy went to Oyerepa FM to speak with the show's host and mother a day after the upsetting disclosures. In addition, the club released a statement suspending the coach while additional inquiries are conducted.

 The 16-year-old is currently being treated at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, and his mother is pleading for help to pay for his medical expenses.