Two Ghanaian Footballers Remain in Indian Custody for Nearly Three Years on Rape Charges; Court Date Set for March 19, 2026
Two Ghanaian footballers, Christopher Nars (28) and Moses Zutah (24), have been detained in India for nearly three years following rape allegations and are scheduled to appear in court again on March 19, 2026.
The players were arrested on May 18, 2023, in New Town (a Kolkata suburb in West Bengal) after a woman in her late twenties filed a complaint accusing them of sexual assault. According to Bidhannagar City Police:
The complainant, who was separated from her husband and living alone in a rented flat in Gouranganagar, alleged that the two men forced her to spend the night with them at a guest house in Picnic Garden.
She claimed multiple instances of sexual assault occurred during the night.
She reported sustaining bruises and filed the formal complaint two days later at New Town police station.
Both men have remained on remand since their arrest, with no bail granted to date.
A close associate of the accused, speaking anonymously to Angel Sports, strongly denied the rape claims and asserted that the encounter was consensual and involved commercial sex work:
One of the players had reportedly paid the woman for sexual services.
A dispute later arose over the amount or additional promises that were not fully met.
The associate alleged the woman escalated the matter to police after the payment disagreement.
No official response to these counter-claims has been issued by Kolkata police or prosecutors.
Background of the Players
Both Nars and Zutah had travelled to India on student visas and were playing part-time football for local clubs in exchange for payment. They were not affiliated with any major Indian professional league team at the time of the arrest.
The families of the two men have renewed their appeals to the Government of Ghana, the Ghana Football Association (GFA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other stakeholders for urgent assistance. Their specific requests include:
Provision of legal representation or funding for competent defence counsel in India
Diplomatic engagement with Indian authorities to ensure fair trial conditions
Consular visits and welfare support while in detention
Advocacy for bail or expedited trial proceedings
The case has drawn limited but growing attention in Ghana, with some football fans and diaspora groups expressing sympathy and calling for intervention to prevent the men from spending years in pre-trial detention.
The matter returns to court on March 19, 2026 — nearly three full years after the arrests. Both sides are preparing to present evidence, witness testimonies, and legal arguments. The prolonged pre-trial detention has raised questions among human rights observers about judicial delays in West Bengal.
The Ghanaian Embassy in New Delhi has previously confirmed it is monitoring the case and providing consular assistance within the limits of international law and diplomatic protocol. No public statement has been issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or GFA on recent developments as of February 28, 2026.
The outcome of the March 19 hearing — whether bail is granted, charges are amended, or trial formally commences — will be closely watched by the families, legal teams, and a small but engaged segment of the Ghanaian public following the case.
