Chelsea Blame Kotoko for Violence At Golden City Park

The management of Berekum Chelsea has condemned the violence that erupted on Sunday during the Normalization Committee special competition game between the club and Asante Kotoko at the Golden City Park.

In a press release signed by the Communications Manager of the club, Mr.Kwaku Adjei Richard, it stated that management was collaborating with the Ghana Police Service to ensure that those responsible were brought to book.

"Berekum Chelsea is a law-abiding football club and our supporters do always control themselves notwithstanding the level of provocation from our opponents, "it stated.

Narrating what transpired at the venue, the statement said "Kotoko arrived at the match venue led by a minivan full of macho men and a black Toyota four wheel drive car driven by the Operations Manager (Perusha)."

It said "The Machomen started causing trouble trying to overpower our officials at the gate by refusing to pay the gate fees claiming to be security officers of Kotoko so they were asked by the stewards to show their complimentary tickets which had earlier been delivered by Mr. Oduro Sarfo (Director-Berekum Chelsea) to the Asante Kotoko Operations Manager, to enable the smooth entry of all Kotoko officials."

The statement added that the chaos started when the Kotoko macho men ordered the Chelsea stewards to vacate the gate but management was able to calm tempers down.

It said the Kotoko Operations Manager sneaked onto the pitch in an attempt to sprinkle a substance in a bottle he was holding onto the field.

That caught the attention of the inner perimeter security officers who tried forcing him out of the inner perimeter.

In the ensuing melee, "a Kotoko supporter who we were informed was a security officer and was in an Asante Kotoko replica jersey came down from the team's bus slapped one of the stewards by name Azigizaa.

It said the supporters rushed to confront him but he was whisked away.

Mr. George Amoako, the General Manager of Kotoko after his arrival at the venue was briefed on what had ensued in his absence and went to apologize to the steward together with Mr. Oduro Sarfo and Mr. Obed Nana Nketiah."

On the shooting incident by Mr. Amo Sarpong, the statement explained it fell out of a misunderstanding with officials at the main gate over fees.

Mr. Sarpong during the verbal exchanges was heard telling the fans that, "I am also a Berekum boy and no one can harass me."

Following the heated exchanges, he went into his car and brought out a pistol and gave warning shots, the statement said but the police came in and took the gun from him.

But upon realizing that someone was hit by the stray bullet, a section of the fans attacked him and in the process sustained injuries.

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