A High Court judgment has handed Francis Adjetey Sowah and two others associated with the Ghana Amputee Football Federation (GAFF) lifetime bans following a decade-long legal dispute.
The court rejected claims of the Ghana Amputee Football Federation (GAFF) in its dispute with the National Paralympic Committee of Ghana (NPC-Ghana) and handed the culprits a significant legal setback, while also referencing World Amputee Football Federation (WAFF) correspondence documenting lifetime bans involving three individuals associated with the organisation.
The judgment, delivered on July 30, 2026, by Justice Jerome Noble-Nkrumah at the Commercial Division of the High Court in Accra, ruled against GAFF’s claims to exclusive responsibility for the administration and oversight of amputee football in Ghana.
The court also granted relief to NPC Ghana on its counterclaim, permanently restraining GAFF and those acting through it from presenting the federation as the lawful body responsible for overseeing amputee football in the country.
Court Records Lifetime Bans Against Three Individuals
One of the most consequential passages in the judgment appears on page 21, where the court examined an email from WAFF dated September 25, 2019.
According to the judgment, the correspondence referred to the banning of Francis Adjetey Sowah, Charles Narh and Benjamin Armah from amputee football for life, citing ethical breaches involving the three individuals.
The judgment records the contents of the WAFF correspondence. This distinction is important: the lifetime bans are referenced in the evidence considered by the court, while the operative injunction specifically addresses GAFF’s claim to lawful oversight of amputee football in Ghana.
Sowah’s Conduct Comes Under Judicial Scrutiny
The court’s assessment of Sowah’s conduct was another significant aspect of the ruling.
The judgment states that evidence showed Sowah was promoting GAFF’s affairs while serving as an officer of the Ghana Amputee Football Association, describing the activity as having been carried out “surreptitiously” before he was discovered and removed.
The judge also examined correspondence bearing Sowah’s signature on the Association’s letterhead, including letters seeking equipment, logistics and sponsorship.
The court contrasted those documents with Sowah’s subsequent use of GAFF letterhead in his capacity as the federation’s president, finding that the evidence seriously weakened GAFF’s claim to being the sole recognised authority responsible for the sport.
These findings formed part of the court’s assessment of the federation’s claim to exclusive control over amputee football in Ghana.
GAFF’s Incorporation History Raises Questions
The court also considered evidence concerning GAFF’s stated objectives when it was incorporated in 2009.
According to the judgment, a witness for the federation acknowledged that its original objectives did not include the organisation, administration and management of amputee football. Those objectives were added in 2014.
The judge considered this admission alongside the evidence concerning Sowah’s roles within the organisations, further undermining GAFF’s argument that it was entitled to exclusive responsibility for the sport.
The court ultimately found that GAFF had failed to establish its claims, while NPC Ghana succeeded on its counterclaim.
Court Restrains GAFF From Claiming Lawful Oversight
The judgment’s immediate institutional consequence is a permanent injunction restraining GAFF, including those acting through its servants, agents, assigns or privies, from holding itself out as the lawful oversight body for amputee football in Ghana.
The court’s decision was based in part on the federation’s lack of recognition from the National Sports Authority, NPC Ghana and WAFF, as outlined in the judgment.
Although GAFF argued that its history of official engagement supported its recognition and that amputee football should not fall under NPC Ghana, the court was not persuaded by its case.
The judge acknowledged that the institutional placement of the sport could merit further consideration in the future.
However, that observation did not alter the outcome of the proceedings.
Other Names Mentioned, but No Additional Lifetime Bans Established John Kuuku Dsani and Philip Richter have also featured in public reporting surrounding the dispute.
However, the judgment’s specific passage recording lifetime bans names only Francis Adjetey Sowah, Charles Narh and Benjamin Armah. It does not establish separate individual lifetime bans against all five men mentioned in the broader reporting.
The ruling represents a major development in the dispute over the governance of amputee football in Ghana.
By rejecting GAFF’s claims and granting NPC Ghana relief on its counterclaim, the High Court has placed a clear legal restriction on the federation’s ability to present itself as the country’s lawful amputee-football oversight body.
The judgment also brings renewed attention to the WAFF correspondence documenting lifetime bans involving three individuals associated with the dispute.
For Ghanaian amputee football, the decision marks a significant moment in the continuing debate over recognition, authority and the administration of the sport.
The ruling also clears the air surrounding the leadership of the Black Challenge as they continue to prepare for the upcoming WAFF 2026 Amputee World Cup in Mexico in November.