Ghana Police Launch Probe into ‘Suspicious’ Death of Young Senegalese Footballer Cheikh Toure

Ghanaian authorities have launched a full-scale investigation into the mysterious death of 20-year-old Senegalese footballer Cheikh Toure, whose body was taken to a hospital in Kumasi last week under unclear circumstances.

Police confirmed that Toure was brought to the facility on Thursday with severe abdominal injuries by a man identifying himself as his brother, known only as Issah, who claimed the young player had been involved in an accident.

However, a police statement revealed that hospital records showed Toure was already dead on arrival, raising questions about how he sustained his fatal injuries.

The case has since drawn international attention after Senegal’s government alleged that Toure was lured by fake football recruiters, scammed, extorted, and ultimately killed by his captors.

According to Senegal’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, Toure — who played for the Esprit Foot Academy in Yeumbeul, near Dakar — had travelled to Ghana en route to supposed football trials in Morocco. The ministry described his death as a tragic example of how “criminal networks exploit the dreams of young athletes seeking international opportunities.”

The Senegalese government has dispatched two embassy officials to Ghana to assist local authorities with the investigation and oversee the repatriation of Toure’s remains.

Meanwhile, Senegal’s Sports Ministry has urged football academies, parents, and coaches to be vigilant against fraudulent recruitment offers, warning that unverified football trials abroad have become a dangerous trap for many aspiring African players.

Ghanaian police have vowed a “thorough and transparent” investigation into the incident, calling on the public to come forward with any information that could help uncover the truth behind the young footballer’s death.