On the field, the penalty miss at the 2010 World Cup ranks highly as the biggest issue involving Gyan while the off-field issues maybe highlighted by his divorce case with his now ex-wife which played out in the public space quite profoundly.
One off-field controversy that marred Gyan’s illustrious career is his sexual escapades with one, Sarah Kwabla who at the time was a student of the tertiary institution in Ghana.
The news story which broke in June, 2015, had Asamoah Gyan alleging that Sarah Kwablah, a 21-year-old student, wanted to blackmail him with a sex video involving the two parties. The story caught national attention and was met with mixed beliefs and fraught with several conspiracy theories.
Just after the publication by Daily Guide, Sarah Kwabla granted an interview in which he shared her side of the story and provided videos, pictures, as well as WhatsApp conversations that supported her argument. This interview, she granted GHBase in 2015.
As a result, Asamoah Gyan instituted legal action against Sarah Kwabla, Anthony Osarfo and 2 others, of conspiring to extort money from him. Osarfo Anthony, Chris Handler, Sarah Kwablah, and Ekow Micah, were arrested, charged with conspiracy to extort money and arraigned before the Accra Circuit Court 9.
On Wednesday, March 20, 2019, the court after more than three years passed a ruling on the matter, passing a verdict of no case which was a huge defeat for Asamoah Gyan.
Trial Judge Her Honour Afia Agbanu Kumador upheld the submission of a no case filed by counsel for defendants explaining that the prosecution had not been able to prove that a prima facie case has been established against the accused persons.
Ruling on malicious prosecution
Following the ruling in 2019, one of the journalists involved in the case, Anthony Osarfo, dragged Asamoah Gyan to the Accra High Court over what he contended to be malicious prosecution.
Four years on, the court ruled on the matter, upholding the case of Anthony Osarfo and slapping over GH₵1million fine on Asamoah Gyan.
The Court presided by Justice Ernest Owusu Dapaa, announced the ruling on Friday, December 8, finding Gyan and his manager, Samuel Anim Addo, culpable for falsely accusing the plaintiff of extortion and unlawful arrest.
According to Starr FM, the Court also indicated that the arrest, which was pursued by Anim Addo was to protect Gyan's image to complete a move to China at that time. Hence, the arrest was for Gyan's protection and not the publication.
In that regard, the Court awarded Anthony Sarfo GH¢900,000 in damages, GH¢111,000 for the 111 months he was out of work, which paid him GH¢1,000 at the time.
Anim Addo and Asamoah Gyan were both charged GH¢60,000, bringing the total to GH¢1,071,000.
Asamoah Gyan’s reaction
Following the ruling, Asamoah Gyan has registered his displeasure and vowed to appeal the verdict as he believe it’s a travesty of justice.
“I will appeal cos (because) it doesn’t make sense. There is no way I should lose that case. I now heard the judge didn’t collect our evidence and everything," he expressed.
“There is a conspiracy somewhere. I will follow up this time. That judgment was very awful,” Asamoah Gyan added.
Osarfo’s reaction Anthony Osarfo welcomed the ruling, stating that his pleas were heard by the court.
Anthony Sarfo, an Accra-based journalist has welcomed a decision by the Accra High Court to award in excess of GH¢1million to him for the malicious prosecution of him by legendary Ghanaian footballer, Asamoah Gyan.
In an interview with Starr FM, after the ruling on Friday, 08 December 2023, Anthony Sarfo explained that the ruling vindicates him and is enough reparation for all the suffering he endured during the prosecution of the defamation and extortion case filed against him by Asamoah Gyan.
“My case was that Asamoah Gyan and his team made wild allegations against me that I had planned to extort money from them through a publication involving one Sarah Kwabalah. It turned out that it was not true. It turned out to be false.
“They also collaborated with the police to have me prosecuted for almost four years. At the end of the day, I was acquitted and discharged. Looking at the gravity of the situation that I went through, I decided to sue them for malicious prosecution and that is basically what we got judgement for today. The judge said he looked at all the elements for determining malicious prosecution and I ticked all the boxes.
EK/NOQ
Asamoah Gyan and Sarah Kwabla