Godwin Okpara


Godwin Okpara is a former football defender. He was part of the Nigeria squads that participated in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, 2000 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Okpara was outstanding at the 1989 U-17 World Championship, and moved to Belgian club Beerschot. After some years of relative success playing for Eendracht Aalst, including winning the Belgian Ebony Shoe, he moved to play in France for RC Strasbourg and Paris Saint-Germain. While at Strasbourg he won the Coupe de la Ligue in 1997, playing in the final. His second season with PSG was miserable, making him return to Belgium and Standard Liège. Okpara retired after the 2003-04 season.

Prison

In August 2005, Okpara was arrested by French police on charges of raping his 13-year-old adopted daughter. He was found guilty and imprisoned in June 2007 for 10 years. His wife, Linda Okpara, was sentenced to 15 years in jail for torture of the same girl.