Daniel Daga, a midfielder with Molde FK, has been
sentenced to six months in prison by a Norwegian court after being found guilty
of committing a sexual act without consent.
The 19-year-old footballer received the sentence on
Tuesday and was also ordered to pay 10,000 Norwegian kroner to cover legal
costs, according to reports from TV 2 Norway.
The case relates to an incident reported to Norwegian
police in late April 2025. Prosecutors charged Daga under Section 297 of the
Norwegian Penal Code, which addresses sexual activity carried out without
consent.
During the trial, prosecutors requested a six-month
prison sentence, which the court eventually upheld. However, public details
about the incident remain limited.
Daga’s lawyer, Astrid Bolstad, said the young
midfielder was disappointed with the judgment and insists the encounter was
consensual. She also confirmed that the ruling is not yet final, as the player
plans to appeal the decision.
“He is very upset about the verdict. He believes he is
innocent and that everything happened with consent,” Bolstad told TV 2, adding
that the case is still ongoing and the verdict is not legally binding until the
appeal process is completed.
Following the court ruling, Molde FK released a
statement describing the situation as challenging and confirmed that the player
will not be included in the club’s matchday squad until further notice.
Club chairman Tarje Nordstrand Jacobsen said the club
is handling the matter carefully while respecting the seriousness of the case
and the legal process.
The club had earlier suspended Daga from training and
matches in December while the case was being heard.
Daga joined Molde ahead of the 2025 season and made 15
appearances for the Norwegian side, scoring three goals. At the international
level, he has represented Nigeria’s U-20 national team and was the youngest
player named in the country’s squad for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
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