By Emmanuel Nduka Obisue
Nigerian U-20 international footballer Daniel Daga has been sentenced to six months in prison by a Norwegian court after being found guilty of committing a sexual act without consent.
According to reports, the Nordmøre and Romsdal District Court delivered the verdict on Tuesday following a trial involving the Molde FK midfielder. In addition to the prison term, the court ordered the 19-year-old to pay $1,050 in legal costs.
Prosecutors had earlier requested the same six-month custodial sentence along with the financial penalty, which the court ultimately upheld. Daga is known for representing Nigeria at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
However, the player’s lawyer, Astrid Bolstad, rejected the ruling, saying her client maintains his innocence and is deeply disappointed by the judgment. She added that the young footballer insists the encounter in question was consensual and plans to challenge the court’s decision.
“He is very upset about the verdict. He believes he is innocent and that everything happened with consent,” Bolstad said in an interview with Norwegian broadcaster TV 2 Norway, adding that the judgment is not yet legally binding because an appeal has been filed.
In a statement following the ruling, Molde FK acknowledged that the case has been difficult for all parties involved but confirmed that the club is closely monitoring developments as the legal process continues.
The club noted that Daga will remain suspended from team activities pending the final outcome of the appeal, stressing that it has a duty to support its employees while also recognising the seriousness of the allegations and the impact on those affected.
