Premier League soccer player Dominic Frimpong killed in armed attack on team bus in Ghana
Dominic Frimpong of Ghanaian Premier League club Berekum Chelsea was killed after the team bus was attacked by a group of suspected armed robbers, the country’s football association said on Monday.
The incident occurred on Sunday when Berekum Chelsea were returning from their match against Samartex in Samreboi, southern Ghana, the club said in a statement.
“Masked men, armed with soldering guns and assault rifles, began shooting at our bus as the driver attempted to reverse. Players and staff fled into nearby bushes for cover,” the statement said.
The club said one of the players was seriously injured and was receiving medical treatment at a nearby hospital.
The Ghana Football Association later said winger Dominic Frimpong, 20, was believed to have been killed in the incident.
“This tragic incident is not only a huge loss to Berekum Chelsea but also to Ghanaian football as a whole. Dominic was a promising young talent whose dedication and passion for the game epitomized the spirit of our league,” the governing body said in a statement.
In a social media post, Ghana Football Association President Kurt Edwin Simeon Okrakru described the incident as “heartbreaking”.
“May Dominic’s soul rest in perfect peace,” he wrote.
Frimpong joined Berekum Chelsea FC on loan from Aduana Stars FC earlier this year. He played 13 matches and scored two goals for the club, according to local media.
Police said another victim, George Owusu Afriyie, 52, was also robbed of more than $400 during the attack.
The GFA added that it would strengthen security measures for clubs traveling for domestic competitions.
Ghanaian sports journalist Muftawu Abdulai told BBC Sport Africa that fans are increasingly questioning whether it is “safe to travel and play league matches”.
“If the lives of the people or the key architect of the game cannot be protected, it is not worth playing,” Abdulai told BBC Sport Africa.
In 2023, the bus of another Ghanaian Premier League team, Legon Cities, was attacked by suspected armed robbers, but no injuries were reported.
