Eighteen jailed Senegalese football fans deny wrongdoing in AFCON final pitch invasion, as their appeal against prison sentences is heard in Rabat.
RABAT: Eighteen Senegalese football supporters convicted over a pitch invasion during the chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat in January have denied any wrongdoing.
A Moroccan court in February sentenced the 18 Senegalese football fans to prison terms ranging from three to 12 months over charges of hooliganism.
Prosecutors sought stiffer penalties in the appeals court in Rabat, but the initial sentences were upheld on Monday.
The Senegalese argued that they had been forced on to the pitch because of a surging crowd or to avoid being spat upon and projectiles thrown towards them.
They said it was not to protest a refereeing decision at the end of the contentious AFCON final on January 18 which Senegal won 1-0.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) reversed Senegal’s win last month, awarding the title to Morocco two months after the final.
The Senegalese Football Federation immediately instructed its lawyers to lodge an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Defence lawyer Naima El Guellaf asked Monday that videos of the incidents be shown so as to verify the identities of the 18 Senegalese in court.
It is a move rejected by the prosecution, who said the Senegalese were caught in the act.
“The entire world saw these terrible images live,” it argued.
The judge is yet to respond to the request to replay videos of the incidents.
“There have been mistakes, the people involved in what happened are currently in Senegal and are not present here,” a second defence lawyer, Patrick Kabou, told AFP.
