The Essien love files.

Last month I told you that Chelsea ace Michael Essien was to be dragged to court over some issues with his ex-girl.

The issued threatened to deprive him the chance to play for the Black Stars on Sunday against Mali.

They've finally made it to court. Here's a report of proceedings by the Daily Guide.

"Chelsea midfielder, Michael Essien, yesterday gave evidence in camera at an Accra Fast-Track High Court in connection with the controversial issue of whether he indeed married his old-time lover, Veralie Dela Ackumey.

The evidence, which lasted over three hours, had lawyers from both sides entering the chambers of Justice A.K. Ofori Atta, the presiding judge, around 12:00 noon till about 3:30 pm when Essien finally left the courtroom accompanied by some sports fans and admirers.

Sources close to his former lover who spoke on condition of anonymity told DAILY GUIDE that Essien, in his evidence, maintained he never married Ackumey whom he described as initially humble but later showed her true character by having fits of jealousy and tantrums which nearly destroyed his football career.

He also reportedly stated that his mother walked out of the knocking ceremony after the family of Ackumey demanded a ring after being told by their daughter it was an engagement ceremony while his mum insisted that they never had instructions to present an engagement ring.

To avert further confusion, a ring in Dela’s possession was put on her finger by one of her pastors.

The footballer also admitted that he indeed made a mistake when he prepared documents for her, naming her as his wife at the time he wanted her to join him in London.

Essien said it was his former football club managers who helped her to visit him as she did not have anybody in London.

Ms. Ackumey, who has dragged the Chelsea midfielder to court claiming she is his wife, has told the court she has video evidence to prove she was indeed married to him.

She is reported to have lost the case in a London court and is hoping to get lucky in Ghana this time around.

Narrating how they met, Essien stated that he met Ackumey, the plaintiff, when he arrived from France where he was on contract with Lyon through a friend and he said he started dating Ackumey, now a law student. He said he liked her because she posed as a very religious person.

He stated that he initially felt like helping his ex-girlfriend financially when she told him she was staying with friends and later gave her an invitation to visit him in Lyon. She did visit him but had some difficulty with the French language and had to be taught the basics.

The footballer also reportedly told the court that a relationship developed between them when she visited him, adding that they were staying together before his deal with Chelsea got through and he moved to London with her where they stayed in a hotel for a couple of months.

He also noted that at a point when he built a house at Sakaman, he told her about it and gave her money to buy some items to decorate the house when she arrived back in Ghana; but after buying the items, his lover parked her belongings as well and moved into the house, even though he did not ask her to and did not even know who her parents were.

Essien added however that he did not ask her to move out.

He narrated that on one occasion, when he arrived from London, she told him she wanted him to see her parents and they subsequently went to Kumasi where he got to know her mother.

In addition, he said after his visit to the plaintiff’s mum, Dela advised that since they were living together, he should present some drinks to the family for them to be aware that their daughter was really living with him.
The Chelsea midfielder explained that after one of her visits to London, he gave her money to give to his mother to buy some items for the knocking ceremony and the items were bought for the ceremony.

He said, unknown to him, the plaintiff, who had her own agenda, told her people it was going to be an engagement ceremony and when his mother and brothers went to perform the ceremony, the parents of the plaintiff demanded a ring to which his mum and siblings protested by walking out of the ceremony till a pastor took a ring the law student had in her possession and placed on her finger.

Essien said the obsession of the plaintiff became too much for him to bear and that at a point, his Public Relations Officer was forced to abandon him and he lost a lot of interview contracts among others.

Essien, the respondent, stated that afterwards, she used to live at his residence at Sakaman and often visited him in London until she started having fits of jealousy anytime he received calls even from friends.

Essien said the obsession of the plaintiff became too much for him to bear and that at a point, his Public Relations Officer was forced to abandon him and he lost a lot of interview contracts among others.

The respondent stated that the straw which broke the camel’s back was when one day she lied that she had been attacked by some armed robbers in London.

The Chelsea star said contrary to her claims, a Close Circuit Television (CCTV) in his home later showed Dela injuring herself, whereupon she wept and apologized and even called his mum to tell her she was sorry for staging the suicide act.

He said he later asked her to return to Ghana, which she did, only for her to return to London and start court proceedings against him.

Essien added that he wanted the court to determine if the rites he performed constituted a customary marriage. "

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Essien & the 50-50

Essien & the 50-50....sounds like a rock band eh?

Nope, it's not a rock band. It is the state of the situation.

Michael Essien breezed into town last night and at the Kotoka Int'l Airport he was met by some media people. Among them was Citi FM's Erasmus Kwao who interviewed the Bison.

In the interview Essien dropped a bombshell when asked if he would feature in the Mali game especially with his court case impending:

"As it stands it is 50-50 but I'll do anything to ensure that I can to play.

"I have to get this thing sorted out. I want to have this thing sorted so that it would not have an effect on me on the pitch."

An Accra High Court is set to rule on whether Michael indeed was married to his ex-lover Dela Ackumey.

"A girl I dated years ago has taken me to court so I have to come and get it out of the way, concentrate on my football and try to qualify for the World Cup," Essien said.

She wants compensation for Essien allegedly ditching her.
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Essien: We ain't married. Dela: We are! The real deal.

Yaw & Mike'll be meeting again soon. In an Accra court. - Oxigen

In the streets of Accra - Ghana's capital - and elsewhere in the country, it may not be too absurd to say Michael Essien can be taken seriously if he wants to be the president.

Yes, he is that popular and famous. But his women issues are leaving people scratching their heads. More on his other flings (yikes!) and mini-scandals later.

Ms. Dela Ackumey, a woman who many had long expected to be Michael's wife, is tugging the Chelsea man's purse. The argument is simple.

Essien says they are not married. Dela says they are. The argument may look simple but the legalese surely aren't.

Essien and Dela started hanging out about four years ago and those who know them say they were very much into each other. It is worth noting that at the time Mike's Lyon career was looking good. And obviously, the woman in Dela took notice.

What I gather is that the French francs being sent to Ms. Dela Ackumey meant that she knew her boy was a catch...and so she pressured him to start marriage rites.

Here's where it becomes dicey. Even though they split last year, Ms. Ackumey insists the Bison had performed marriage rights on her and therefore wants their 'divorce' to reflect that.

Ms. Ackumey is from Anlo in the eastern part of Ghana where the Ewe tribe are predominantly settled. However, Essien’s lawyers (led by a member of the influential Ofori-Atta family) say the said rites the Chelsea player performed did not amount to marriage rites in the traditional sense.

The lawyers also say that even if the rites amounted to marriage rites, the ceremony was contrary to what the big-pound earner wanted.

The French francs being sent to Ms. Ackumey meant she knew her boy was a catch...and so she pressured him to start marriage rites.

Media bonanza

And so the stage is surely set for what is turning up to be a media event of considerable size. Already, the Chelsea and Ghana midfielder has grown into something of a national icon since his big money move to Chelsea three seasons ago.

In anticipation of the animalistic nature the Ghanaian and world media can morph into, the court may let the two testify in camera. Especially as Ms. Ackumey says she has video evidence to show that they were married.

Let-the-circus-begin-!

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Essien says they not married. Dela says they are. The real deal.

Mike may be meeting Yaw again soon. (C) Oxigen

In the streets of Accra - Ghana's capital - and elsewhere in the country, it may not be too absurd to say Michael Essien can be taken seriously if he wants to be the president.

Yes, he is that popular and famous. But his women issues are leaving people scratching their heads. More on his other flings (yikes!) and mini-scandals later.

Ms. Dela Ackumey, a woman who many had long expected to be Michael's wife, is tugging the Chelsea man's purse. The argument is simple. Essien says they are not married. Dela says they are.

Essien and Dela started hanging out about four years ago and those who know them say they were very much into each other. It is worth noting that at the time Mike's career was looking good. And obviously, the woman in Dela took notice.

What I gather is that the French francs being sent to Ms. Dela Ackumey meant that she knew her boy was a catch...and so she pressured him to start marraige rites.

Here's where it becomes dicey. Even though they split last year, Ms. Ackumey insists the Bison n had performed marriage rights on her and therefore wants their 'divorce' to reflect that.

Ms. Ackumey is from Anlo in the eastern part of Ghana where the Ewe tribe are predominantly settled. However, Essien’s lawyers (led by a member of the influential Ofori-Atta family) say the said rites the Chelsea player performed did not amount to marriage rites in the traditional sense.

The lawyers also say that even if the rites amounted to marriage rites, the ceremony was contrary to what the big-pound earner wanted.

Media bonanza

And so the stage is surely set for what is turning up to be a media event of considerable size. Already, the Chelsea and Ghana midfielder has grown into something of a national icon since his big money move to Chelsea three seasons ago.

In anticipation of the animalisitic nature the media can morph into, the court may let the two testify in camera. Especially as Ms. Ackumey says she has video evidence to show that they were married.

Let-the-circus-begin-!

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