Ghana Premier League referee Prince Amoah has accused President of Techiman City FC Charles Kojo Ntim affectionately called ‘Micky Charles’ in the pool of corruption regarding bribing referees in Ghana football.
The referee who has been at the receiving end of abusive words from outspoken football administrator revealed on Asempa FM that he’s not been in the good books of the Techiman City FC president because of refusing to accept bribes from him on several counts.
Narrating his experience on Asempa FM on Wednesday morning, Prince Amoah said the Techiman City president tried bribing him on many occasions including playing in the Division One League as well as the Premier League.
“Micky Charles sent people to bribe me to aid Techiman City secure qualification into the Ghana Premier League. I refused and have since become his number one enemy,” he said.
“A guy called Cash, an accomplish of Micky Charles and four others came to my hotel with GHC4000. They told me to take my share as the center referee and give the rest to my assistants. I refused. While they were insisting, my assistant, Alex Annin heard the noise and came to my room. I asked Annin to deal with them since I was not interested.”
“We still refused the money. Finally, they told us to take it as a refund of our traveling expenditure. I told them to keep it for us since we will not be returning to the hotel after the game and cannot also keep that quantum of money in the dressing room.”
“I told them that because the general perception is that if you refuse to take it, then you have already taken something from the opponents. They left and I never saw them again after the game,” he narrated.
Prince adds that Micky Charles made another move when Techiman City played Techiman Eleven Wonders in a local derby.
“Previously, they had played against their local rivals Eleven Wonders. In that game, Micky Charles needed a win to qualify to the Premier League again after they were relegated.
“Micky Charles sent Zion, another accomplish to give me money. I met them at the Charge Office in Techiman and they asked me to charge them any amount to aid them win the game. I strongly refused and told them I am not like that.
“But they sent a policeman called Antwi to bribe me with GHC3000 but I refused and asked him to go away since he was my senior in the police service.
“He took the money away and whether he gave the money to them or not, I can’t tell. Techiman City lost the game 2-0 to Eleven Wonders and I was severely beaten after the game.
“So refusing all those attempts, Micky Charles thinks I hate him and that has been the genesis of his hatred for me,” he added.
Issues of bribery and corruption have bedeviled Ghanaian football with Micky Charles posing as a vigilante who fights the canker strongly, but Amoah’s revelation has thrown the image of the Techiman City president to the dogs.