Ghana Defender John Paintsil has launched an astonishing public attack on Henrietta, the ex-wife of John Mensah, warning her to stay away from his marriage.

The South Africa-based right-back said recent media reports that his wife Richlove Paintsil was seeking a divorce was concocted by Henrietta who was instigating his wife to follow in her footsteps of divorcing her hus­band.

Henrietta and ex-Ghana captain John Mensah divorced this year after a bitter battle.

It was reported last week that Richlove had filed for divorce, but John Paintsil refused to sign the court papers which brought into sharp focus the growing menace of Ghanaian foot­ballers' wives ditching or betraying their husbands.

Paintsil said Richlove, who is a close friend of Henrietta's, knew noth­ing about the publication and insisted that Mensah's ex-wife was trying to sow a seed of discord in his family.

"I think my wife knows nothing about the publication which came out; because I have called her and she told me it is rather Mrs. Mensah, ex-wife of John Mensah, who sent the story to the media," John Paintsil told Metro FM.

"If she and her husband have divorced, that doesn't mean she should force my wife to do the same."

The Ghanaian defender warned Henrietta to stay away from his mar­riage, as he and his wife were not on the verge of divorce, even though there were issues in the marriage.

"I am therefore advising ner to stay away from my family for us to enjoy our freedom, because there is nothing like divorce on our minds," Paintsil told Metro FM.

"If there are any issues I need to sort out with my wife, it should be out of court or media because we never got married in the court room, but rather it should be solved at home", he said.

Meanwhile, Henrietta has expressed shock at the allegations being leveled against her by Paintsil

In a telephone interview with DAILY GUIDE SPORTS yesterday, she said, "I was surprised when I heard my name in the Paintsils' issue. Honestly, we are friends but I can say for a fact that I am innocent in this matter. ^

"I can understand where Paintsil is coming from. His wife and myself are friends including he John himself, but the fact that we are friends doesn't make me an influence in their nterital issue.

"Paintsil knows my number and I expected that he would have called at least to crosscheck from me. I was very < surprised when somebody told me about Paintsil's false accusation in the media," she added.

A growing number of Ghanaiar players are having serious marita problem, with over 8 divorced, while Nii Odartey Lamptey discovered through a DNA test that all his three children were not biologically his.