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Gloria Appiah, is now officially an ex-wife to former Black Stars midfielder Nii Odartey Lamptey. She has failed in an attempt to gain 50% share of his assets after an Accra High Court ruled that having three children out of wedlock is an “adulterous” life.

At the Court Complex in Accra Wednesday afternoon, Justice Cecilia Don-Chebe Agbevey put finality to the bitter divorce battle between the estranged lovers which had lingered on since 2013.

Starrsportsgh.com reports that Gloria Appiah’s motion to be awarded half of each of the ex-footballer’s properties was completed quashed. She has however been allocated Nii Lamptey’s property located at Dome as he had proposed.

The estranged wife has also been ordered to vacate Nii Odartey Lamptey’s 7-bedroom apartment in East Legon within 30 days. The court has awarded 40% of a GHc500,000 cash as alimony to the ex-wife, a cost we understand Nii Lamptey intends to appeal.

Speaking to starrsportsgh.com after the ruling, Odartey Lamptey said:

“I thank God for taking me through this fight successfully because I didn’t know how far I could go. I’m grateful that the toils that I have gone through for the past 21 years did not go in vain. Though I’ve lost a few properties, I’m very content that at the end of this case, I have retained most of them and I’m still alive too.”

“When I was informed that the [three] children were not mine, I know how I felt. Playing the role of a father to children I thought were mine for 21 years and realizing otherwise later, I nearly committed suicide. God gave me renewed energy and courage to withstand these pains and today, I can say I have gotten over them all.”

“And today, with the final judgement, I thank God that my properties, my school and others I have kept them. She can take the little awarded her. Today the divorce has been granted and that burden that was on me is gone. Now, I’m a free and happy man, ready to start life again.” 

Background

In 2013, reports emerged that DNA tests had uncovered the fact that the couple’s three children were not indeed fathered by the former World’s best juvenile player.

The impasse emanated from when Gloria wanted Nii Lamptey to send ‘their’ first daughter abroad to further her studies at a cost of £26,000 a year for three years.

Nii Lamptey then objected, citing the fact that the expense was too much and recommending that his daughter schools in Ghana for her University education.
Gloria was reportedly incensed by her husband’s stance and filed for divorce.

Nii Lamptey initially agreed to the divorce but delayed in his response because he reportedly suspected his wife of alleged infidelity.

The former midfielder, who represented Ghana at the 1992, 1994 and 1996 African Nations Cup tournaments, secretly took samples from the three children and did a DNA test, which reportedly revealed that none of three girls were fathered by him.

Gloria demanded 50% of Nii Lamptey’s estate and other properties which he hotly disputed by asking the High Court to allow the DNA results to be entered in evidence.