An 18-year-old footballer was murdered after he was kidnapped when scammed into thinking he was being offered a trial to join a professional club.
Cheikh Toure, from Senegal, was tricked into thinking he had the chance of a lifetime after training with Esprit Foot Yeumbeul.
However, that was in fact not the case as he was scammed by group of armed individuals who proceeded to hold him hostage in Ghana.
The criminals then demanded a ransom from Toure's family and would only release him from captivity if the amount was paid up.
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The family were unable to muster up the funds, with the group ultimately carrying out their threat and killing Toure, who was found dead.
As per French Football Weekly, The Ministry of African Integration and Foreign Affairs of Senegal put a lengthy statement regarding the sad news and revealed that Toure's body is being returned to his home country.
Senegalese authorities and police in Ghana are working in unison to investigation the kidnapping and death and establish exactly what happened.
A press release said that the investigation is being handled "with the greatest attention and priority" after expressing "sympathy to the bereaved family".
The lengthy statement read: "The Ministry of African Integration, Foreign Affairs, and Senegalese Abroad learned, on Saturday, October 18, 2025, of the death of Mr. Cheikh Touré, which occurred in Kumasi (Republic of Ghana) on Friday, October 17, 2025.
"Preliminary investigations conducted by the consular services indicate that Mr. Touré, a young Senegalese soccer player, may have fallen victim to a network of fraud and extortion.
"According to information gathered by the Embassy of Senegal in Accra, the body of the deceased has been placed at the Ebenezer Morgue in Tafo, in the Ashanti Region, located about 250 km from Accra.
"The competent Ghanaian authorities have been officially notified in order to carry out a thorough investigation into the exact circumstances of the death.
"In this context, two officers from the Embassy will be dispatched to Kumasi on Sunday, October 19, 2025, to assist local authorities with administrative and judicial procedures, and to prepare, in coordination with the family, the repatriation of the body to Senegal as soon as the necessary authorizations are obtained.
"The Ministry wishes to express its deepest sympathy to the bereaved family and assures that this matter is being closely monitored."
After the tragic turn of events, there was an urge to clubs, players and others "to exercise extra caution in the face of unverified offers of tests or transfers abroad“.
In addition, players were instructed to "always go through official circuits and obtain information from the sports authorities before any trip".
Josh Lawless