Senegalese Fans Challenge Convictions Over AFCON Final Pitch Invasion
Eighteen football supporters from Senegal have denied any involvement in wrongdoing following their conviction over a pitch invasion during the The post Senegalese Fans Challenge Convictions Over AFCON Final Pitch Invasion first appeared on Africa Top Sports.
Black News 
Eighteen football supporters from Senegal have denied any involvement in wrongdoing following their conviction over a pitch invasion during the turbulent Africa Cup of Nations final held in Rabat in January.
The group was sentenced by a Moroccan court in February to prison terms ranging from three to twelve months after being found guilty of hooliganism.
However, prosecutors have since appealed the ruling, pushing for stiffer penalties at a higher court in Rabat.
During Monday’s hearing, the accused maintained that they did not deliberately storm the pitch. Instead, they claimed they were forced onto the field while trying to escape a surging crowd, as well as objects and spit allegedly directed at them from the stands.
They insisted their actions were not linked to any protest over refereeing decisions in the match, which Senegal initially won 1-0.
The controversy surrounding the final deepened last month when the Confederation of African Football overturned the result and awarded the title to Morocco.
In response, the Senegalese Football Federation directed its legal team to challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
In court, defence lawyer Naima El Guellaf called for video footage of the incident to be reviewed to confirm the identities of those accused.
The prosecution opposed the request, arguing that the suspects were clearly identified during the incident, which was broadcast globally.
Another defence lawyer, Patrick Kabou, suggested that there may have been errors in identifying those responsible, noting that some individuals linked to the incident are currently in Senegal and not before the court.
The presiding judge has yet to rule on whether the video evidence will be admitted as the appeal proceedings continue.
The post Senegalese Fans Challenge Convictions Over AFCON Final Pitch Invasion first appeared on Africa Top Sports.
