Match-fixing: Hearts board pledges to deal with culprits

The Board of Directors of Accra Hearts of Oak has pledged to deal with any individual who is found guilty in a match-fixing probe which is currently underway at the club following allegations that the former Operations Manager of the club, Joshua Acquah, is a member of a betting syndicate.

Mr Acquah, who has since tendered his resignation as Operations Manager stands accused of fixing matches involving Hearts. He has since been interrogated by officers of the Nima Police Station over his involvement in the betting scandal which has rocked the Accra-based club.

According to a member of the Hearts board, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, the club have reported the matter to the Ghana Police Service to carry out investigations after which any individual who is found guilty will be dealt with by the club, as well as the laws of the country.

"Yes, I can confirm that he (Joshua Acquah) has resigned. He resigned before we got to know about it and, in fact, we have immediately handed over the whole matter to the police and they are already working on it," Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe told the Daily Graphic in an interview yesterday.

"We find it so disturbing which is why we asked the police to investigate. When we get the culprits, we shall, as a club, deal with them and I am sure the law will deal with them as well.

"It will definitely be unearthed and we will get to know everything about it. We have not only been stunned but very much disturbed and surprised that such a thing can happen in this country.

"If he, himself, is found to be complicit, he will be dealt with by the law and all others will also be dealt with by the law".
Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe also called for an entire assessment of the Ghana Premier League to root out all such deviants who want to bring the game into disrepute.