Norway Jails Nigerian Footballer 6 Months For Sexual Assault

A Norwegian court has sentenced Nigerian footballer Daniel Daga to six months in prison after finding him guilty of engaging in a sexual act without the other person’s consent.

The judgement was delivered on Tuesday by the Nordmøre og Romsdal District Court.

Daga, who plays as a midfielder for Molde FK, was also ordered to pay 10,000 Norwegian kroner in legal costs, equivalent to about ₦1.45 million.

According to reports by TV 2 Norway, the court’s decision matched the sentence sought by prosecutors.

The 19-year-old footballer denied the allegation. His lawyer, Astrid Bolstad, said the player was unhappy with the outcome and would challenge the judgement.

“He is very upset about the verdict. He believes he is innocent and that everything happened with consent,” Bolstad told TV 2.

She added that the ruling was not final and that Daga planned to appeal the decision.

“The verdict is not legally binding yet. He should be treated like anyone else until the case is finalised,” Bolstad said, adding that the player had continued to train in recent weeks.

Following the judgement, Molde said the matter was serious and affected everyone involved. The club confirmed that Daga would not be part of its matchday squad for now while the legal process continues.

“This is a very difficult case for everyone involved. Molde Football Club has a responsibility as an employer to take care of our employees in a responsible manner; while also having great respect for the seriousness of the case and the burden it places on all affected parties,” the club said.

“In light of the situation and the ongoing legal process, the club has decided that the player will not be part of the matchday squad until further notice.”

Daga joined Molde in 2025 and has made several appearances for the Norwegian side, scoring three goals.

Before his move to Europe, he played in Nigeria’s domestic league for Enyimba FC after earlier stints with FC One Rocket and Dakkada FC.

At the international level, Daga has represented Nigeria with the Nigeria U-20 national football team and was the youngest player named in the country’s squad for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

He featured in all of Nigeria’s matches before the team was knocked out in the quarterfinals by the South Korea U-20 national football team.

With the appeal process expected to begin soon, the final outcome of the case will depend on the decision of the higher court.