Court adjourns Kwasi Nyantakyi trial

Kwasi Nyantakyi

The High Court in Accra has adjourned the trial of former Ghana Football Asoociation (GFA) President, Mr Kwasi Nyantakyi and one other to October 16, 2024.

Mr Nyantakyi is being prosecuted by the state for alleged fraud and corruption after investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas secretly recorded in a video titled #12# in 2018.

The accused and Abdulai Alhassan, the former Northern Regional GFA President had pleaded not guilty to all charges filed against them.

The court, presided over by Justice Marie-Louise Simmons adjourned the case to October 16, pending the outcomes of two appeals filed by both the prosecution and the defence before the Court of Appeal.

The prosecution has appealed the order of the High Court asking Anas to unmask himself to Nyantakyi in chambers before testifying in open court while masked.

The other appeal is from Nyantakyi’s lawyers.

Justice Simmons had previously stated, “If by April, no meaningful steps have been taken by the prosecution, Nyantakyi would be discharged.”

In June 2018, Anas released a video investigation which captured the former GFA President along with several other football administrators and officials compromising the integrity of the game.

Mr Nyantakyi resigned from all his roles at the GFA, CAF and FIFA, and was eventually handed a 15-year ban from football after an initial life ban was reversed.

However, according to the former CAF Vice President, Anas through his lawyers, demanded $150,000 to kill the story, but he could only come up with $100,000.

According to Mr Nyantakyi, the journalist deemed the amount inadequate after which the video was released.

“After the video came out, I asked for a refund and even the refund was done in pieces. Today, they would bring $20,000, and the next day another $10,000. They were giving me stories, but eventually I got everything back,” he said.

In a statement made on social media, Anas denied the allegations stressing that core mission of his investigative network known as Tiger Eye was to expose and confront corruption.

Therefore, he said any notion that he was shielding corrupt individuals was utterly preposterous given the extensive resources and efforts invested in producing such exposés.

“Tiger Eye P.I. unequivocally asserts that any purported criminal arrangement between Mr Nyantakyi and any alleged lawyer remains solely between Mr Nyantakyi and the purported recipient,” it said.

“Tiger Eye P.I. firmly denies any involvement or knowledge of such activities. Should Mr Nyantakyi’s claims hold substance, we challenge him to pursue legal action against Lawyer Kwame Gyan, including lodging a petition with the General Legal Council, to substantiate his allegations,” it added.

Anas also said that Mr Nyantakyi, by his admission, was a self-confessed bribe-giver, and a bribe-taker for attempting to bribe his way out of a painstaking investigation into his conduct.

Therefore, per his self-confessed bribery attempt, he said the former GFA boss had proven that the life-ban from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at national and international level for conflict of interest and bribery offences provided for by FIFA Code of Ethics (FCE) was justified.

“It is noted that Mr Nyantakyi appears to be endeavouring to restore his credibility, presumably with aspirations to contest as a parliamentary candidate for the Ejisu Constituency under the New Patriotic Party,” the statement said.

“The decision regarding Mr Nyantakyi’s eligibility rests with the NPP and the constituents of Ejisu. Nonetheless, it’s imperative to emphasise that Tiger Eye P.I. conducted a thorough investigation, leading to Mr Nyantakyi’s conviction and subsequent ban from football activities due to bribery, conflict of interest,” it added.

BY MALIK SULLEMANA