AFTER a prolonged five-year legal battle, Ghana’s High Court has discharged former football chief Kwesi Nyantakyi, who was accused of fraud and corruption. The case, which stemmed from a 2018 BBC Africa Eye sting investigation, collapsed after state prosecutors failed to present witnesses, including undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
BBC investigation sparked legal case
Nyantakyi, the former president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), was filmed accepting cash from an undercover journalist posing as an investor in the 2018 documentary Number 12. The footage, which showed him receiving $65,000, led to widespread scandal and his eventual resignation from the GFA, CAF, and FIFA.
Following the documentary’s release, FIFA handed him a lifetime ban from football for violating bribery and corruption rules. That sanction was later reduced to 15 years after an appeal.
Despite these developments, Nyantakyi denied any wrongdoing, claiming the video had been edited to frame him. He insisted that the money received was a reimbursement for travel expenses, not a bribe.
Key witness Anas barred from testifying with mask
A major obstacle in the trial was Anas Aremeyaw Anas’s refusal to testify without his signature beaded mask. In 2023, an Accra High Court ruled that Anas could testify in disguise due to security concerns, but the decision was later overturned by the Court of Appeal, which insisted he must appear without a mask.
On Thursday, state prosecutors requested a one-month adjournment, but the court denied the request, ultimately leading to the case’s dismissal.
Delays and the murder of a key journalist
The case also suffered delays due to the murder of investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale in 2019. Hussein-Suale, a key contributor to Number 12, was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Accra. His killing raised concerns about the safety of journalists exposing corruption in Ghana.
In addition to the bribery charges, Nyantakyi was accused of fraudulently using the name of former Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo. That charge was also dropped.
Case dismissed due to lack of evidence
With no witnesses presented, the High Court in Accra discharged Nyantakyi, effectively ending the long-running case. Despite the documentary’s revelations, the prosecution’s failure to secure testimony weakened the case against him.
While Nyantakyi remains banned from football activities until 2033, the court’s decision marks the end of one of Ghana’s most high-profile football corruption scandals.
