“I was beaten like a common thief” – Ebusua Dwarfs Ernest Thompson coach recounts on weekend encounter against Berekum Chelsea

Ebusua Dwarfs coach Ernest Thompson Quartey says he was beaten like a common criminal by mobs of Berekum Chelsea during a Sunday’s gameweek 20 of the Ghana Premier League.

The gaffer was captured in a wheel-chair after he was pummeled by supporters of the home team for allegedly carrying black magic “juju”.

The incident has fueled the volatile crowd trouble that has crippled this season and further put further sticks in the administration of the game in the West African nation.

Coach Ernest Thompson in an interview with Tarkwa-based Medeamaa FM said that he was beaten to pulp like a thief.

“What happened is barbaric and should never happen again to anyone.  I was beaten like a thief. I still have body pains as we speak,” he told Medeamaa FM.

“They (fans) I was holding juju and so they pounced on me and beat me like a common criminal.

”We played the first match, we said our prayer with the prayers and just as we were going into the dressing room, then about 30 supporters in front of the dressing room. They wanted to search me because they were suspecting I had juju [black magic] on me,” Thompson said in a video posted on social media.

”So when I said No. It was only my phone and other things, they forcibly opened my zip and all that and when I tried to resist, they started punching me, held my leg, I fell down, some were kicking me

”This shouldn’t be happening in Ghana football in this day and age. We[Ghana] have come of age, we are in the scientific world to be pummelled, kicked and all that.

”I have a family at home. I can’t die because of football.”

The unfortunate event happened after the first half when the visitors were making their way into the dressing room at the Golden City Park with a 1-0 lead.

Dwarfs opened the scoring through Enoch Afram in the 23rd minute but Chelsea stormed back with Kofi Owusu netting the winning goal after 83 minutes.

This incident is a slap in the face of Ghana Football Association president Kurt Okraku who toured the Bono and Ahafo Regions to engage clubs and their supporters to put up the suitable decorum and stop hooliganism.