A football fan has died at a Ghana Premier League venue in Nsoatre, a suburb of the Bono Ahafo region.
The deceased, identified as Francis Frimpong, popularly known as Pooley, was believed to be a passionate supporter of Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
Though JoySports cannot independently verify the details, multiple reports suggest he was stabbed to death during a Matchday 19 Premier League fixture between Nsoatreman FC and Asante Kotoko.
Asante Kotoko confirmed his passing in a statement on Sunday evening.
“Tragically, one of our supporters who was stabbed during the violence has succumbed to his injuries at the hospital,” a portion of the statement read.
While the hospital where he passed away was not mentioned, the club described his death as a senseless loss.
“This senseless loss of life is devastating, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the entire Asante Kotoko fraternity.”
Videos circulating on social media show him lying in a pool of blood. It remains unclear what triggered the incident, but chaotic scenes unfolded on the pitch, with players from both teams exchanging punches.
The altercation escalated beyond the pitch, forcing fans to flee for safety as missiles were hurled onto the field.
Asante Kotoko goalkeeper Mohammed Camara was seen chasing a man in a green shirt to confront him physically before bystanders intervened.
Meanwhile, club captain Justice Blay was caught on camera throwing what appeared to be a water bottle back into the crowd before police intervened.
The situation spiralled into a massive brawl, leaving the police seemingly overwhelmed by the violence.
An eyewitness claims he was seated at the VIP with the former Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatious Baffour Awuah when the brawl on the pitch began.
I was seated right below Hon. Baffour Awuah, who is the owner of the club when the fight started on the pitch,” he said in Twi.
“Kwasi Appiah [Head of Asante Kotoko Technical Directorate] was seated at his right-hand side. So when the fight started, he went descended to try and calm down the situation. When he got downstairs, he waved at Kwasi Appiah to come, but some of the leadership told Appiah not to because the situation was so volatile and he could be attacked, so Appiah didn’t go,” he narrated.
“Baffour got so upset that he called Appiah and he didn’t answer him, so he sent a signal to the supporters to continue doing what they were doing. Be incited the fans to do what they were doing, so when was coming back to his seat at the VIP, Pooley approached him.”
Describing Pooley, the eyewitness said, He is fair in complexion. He was in a white shite, brown shoe and had Kotoko flag round his neck. I could hear them clearly because I was seated there. He was like, ‘oh, Honourable, what the fans are doing is not good, tell them to stop, but because Honourable called Appiah and he didn’t respond, out of frustration, he pushed Pooley, and fans rushed at him. In his attempts to defend himself, he punched one of the supporters and went to Kwasi Appiah, but a fight ensued and the leadership of Kotoko intervened and calm was restored.
“So while we all thought calm had restored, I said told my boss we should leave. We just got downstairs and realised that Pooley had been stabbed with a knife and was being rushed out with Pragya.
“The ambulance was at where the dressing rooms of the players, while the incident happened at the VIP. I was with Pooley when he gave his last words. He said, ‘even if there’s an ambulance, they won’t take me to the hospital’ Those were his last words.
He stabbed at the upper end of his left said, where the heart is. I work at the hospital and I am still working there, so if someone stabs another with a knife, I can tell.
“The person who stabbed him is an expert. When he did it, he asked them to take him to the ambulance. I was at the stadium with my medical team, so I followed up the ambulance to the Nsoatre Ghana Health Service, that was the nearby hospital. I was with him when his eyes were going off. The black in his eyes wasn’t there again, so from me, I think he died at the Park.
“When he taken inside the hospital, they did nothing to him so he died at the Park and not at the hospital as people claim.”
