The legal representative of the renowned Ghanaian footballer, Asamoah Gyan, Edwin Kusi Appiah, has revealed the pivotal statement that prompted his client to initiate divorce annulment proceedings.
In an interview with Kofi TV, Kusi Appiah disclosed that Gyan had been receiving threats from the husband of his now former spouse, suggesting that his three children were not biologically related to him.
The statement that shattered the peace and triggered discord in Gyan’s marriage, ultimately leading to the decision to seek an annulment, was an alleged threat made by the husband of Gifty Oware. This threat revolved around their firstborn child, who, as per Edwin Kusi Appiah, was born in 2005 and was claimed not to be Gyan’s biological child.
Consequently, upon learning of this statement, Asamoah Gyan collected evidence and initiated legal proceedings to annul the marriage.
“Asamoah Gyan married his wife in 2013 but had been with her since 2003. He got information that prior to marrying her, the lady had married another man. Their marriage had three kids with the firstborn coming in 2005. Asamoah Gyan told me he was threatened by someone that the children, particularly the firstborn were not his and that they belonged to him (the person issuing the threat).
“That is what forced us to go to court and seek permission to conduct DNA on the kids. Thankfully, the DNA test proved that Gyan was the father of the children and he was really happy with it. Gyan was happy because he loved the children. That is the main reason Asamoah Gyan went to court,” he said.
In 2019, former national youth star, Nii Odartey Lamptey disclosed that he felt unbearable pain after a DNA test confirmed rumors that three children he raised with his ex-wife for 21 years were not his biological children.
According to Lawyer Kusi Appiah, Asamoah Gyan holds deep affection for the children and is content with the court’s decision.
In an interview with Asempa FM, Kusi Appiah further clarified that Asamoah Gyan initiated the paternity tests because of persistent pressure from Gifty Oware’s former husband, identified as Mr. Oware. Mr. Oware, who resides in the UK, repeatedly asserted that Gifty Oware bore the children during her marriage to him, raising doubts about their paternity and prompting the need for the tests.
“When the DNA test proved that all kids were his, Asamoah Gyan was extremely happy. He was happy because he had been challenged by someone that his wife wasn’t his and that at the time they married, the wife was also married to another person. The person even told Asamoah Gyan that he suspects some of the children were his.
“The right thing for Gyan to have done was to make sure that he conducted a DNA test to prove the paternity of the children. When people were criticizing Gyan for being irresponsible, he was jubilating because he had been vindicated.”
In a verdict delivered by the Accra High Court on October 31, 2023, the prolonged divorce case of former Ghanaian footballer Asamoah Gyan concluded. The court ruled to terminate the marriage that was entered into by Gyan and Gifty in 2013.
As part of the court’s judgment, determinations were made regarding the parentage of the three children of the couple. Gyan had previously contested his paternity, leading to a Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test, which ultimately confirmed his biological relationship with the children.
Dennis Law, wrote of the paternity issue in their report: “Initially, Asamoah Gyan had denied paternity of their three children, seeking an annulment of their marriage. However, the court, in its decision on October 31, 2023, established that the three children are indeed the progeny of Asamoah Gyan.”
Other consequential directions relative to the upkeep of the kids after the dissolution of the marriage included that “Asamoah Gyan is obligated to pay Gifty Gyan a monthly sum of 25,000 Ghana cedis.
“This stipend is allocated for the upbringing and welfare of the three children, excluding expenses such as school fees, medical and dental care, flight tickets, and various other childcare-related costs,” the law firm added.