Dominic Frimpong, a 20-year-old winger for Berekum Chelsea FC, was killed in an armed robbery attack on the team bus in southern Ghana, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) confirmed Monday. The attack occurred on Sunday as the team was returning from a match against Samartex in Samreboi.
The club reported that several masked men armed with guns and assault rifles opened fire on the bus as it attempted to reverse. Players and staff fled into nearby bushes to seek cover. Another player was seriously injured and is receiving treatment at a local hospital.
Frimpong, who was on loan from Aduana Stars FC since the beginning of the year, had played 13 games and scored two goals for Berekum Chelsea. The GFA described his death as a significant loss to both the club and Ghanaian football.
“Dominic was a promising young talent whose dedication and passion for the game embodied the spirit of our league,” the GFA stated in a release. The association’s president, Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku, called the incident “heartbreaking” in a social media post and extended condolences to the player’s family and the club.
Police reported that a 52-year-old man named George Owusu Afriyie was also robbed of more than $400 during the attack but survived.
Why it matters
This violent attack on a football team highlights ongoing safety concerns for players traveling within Ghana’s domestic league. Following the incident, the GFA pledged to enhance security measures for teams during away matches to protect players and staff.
Sports journalists and fans are increasingly questioning whether it is safe for players to continue traveling and competing under current conditions, reflecting broader unease about security threats in the country’s football infrastructure.
Background
Incidents targeting Ghanaian Premier League team buses are not unprecedented. In 2023, the bus of Legon Cities FC was attacked by suspected armed robbers, though no injuries were reported at that time. Sunday’s attack marks a deadly escalation in such violent crimes affecting the football community.
Read more World News stories on Goka World News.