Former Ghana international Nii Odartey Lamptey, has won his lawsuit against  his former wife, who was seeking to gain 50% of all his wealth, bringing an end to a four year marital disputes.

Accra High Court presided over Justice Cecilia Don-Chebe Agbevey ruled that having three children out of wedlock is an “adulterous” life and has hence ordered the estranged wife to vacate the footballer’s plush 7-bedroom apartment in East Legon within 30 days.

She was however allocated a small property at Dome, a suburb of Accra, as compensation, leaving the player with the clearance to keep the majority of his hard-earned wealth.

An Accra High Court ruled on Wednesday ruled that, Gloria Appiah, his former wife, committed ‘adultery’ when she conceived three children out-of-wedlock and subsequently quashed her motion to be awarded half of the property of the former footballer.

The relationship between Odartey Lamptey and Gloria Lamptey hit the rocks in 2013 after DNA results revealed that he was not the biological father of his three children after 20 years of marriage.

The former Anderlecht star had always has refuted rumours that he asked his former wife to sleep with other men to get pregnant since he was impotent.

In an interview after the ruling, Odartey Lamptey indicated that he was relieved that the verdict has gone in his favour although he has lost some properties.

“I thank God for taking me through this fight successfully because I didn’t know how far I could go. I’m grateful that the toils that I have gone through for the past 21 years did not go in vain," he said.

Though I’ve lost a few properties, I’m very content that at the end of this case, I have retained most of them and I’m still alive too.”

“When I was informed that the [three] children were not mine, I know how I felt. Playing the role of a father to children I thought were mine for 21 years and realizing otherwise later, I nearly committed suicide".God gave me renewed energy and courage to withstand these pains and today, I can say I have gotten over them all.”

“And today, with the final judgement, I thank God that my properties, my school and others I have kept them. She can take the little awarded her. Today the divorce has been granted and that burden that was on me is gone. Now, I’m a free and happy man, ready to start life again.” .

The 42-year-old now has two children with actress and former Ghana’s Most Beautiful finalist, Ruweida Yakubu.

By Fiifi Abdul Malik/ghanaguardian.com