Kwesi Nyantakyi, ex-president of Ghana’s Football Association, has been discharged from fraud charges after five years due to the prosecution’s failure to present witnesses. His case arose from an investigative documentary highlighting corruption in African football. Despite initial strong allegations, including a banned status from FIFA, the court’s decision marks a significant conclusion in this protracted legal matter.
Kwesi Nyantakyi, the former president of Ghana’s Football Association (GFA), has been discharged by a high court after a lengthy five-year legal battle concerning fraud and corruption charges. The case was initiated following a 2018 sting operation, where Nyantakyi was filmed accepting cash from an undercover reporter as part of a broader investigation into corruption in African football. Despite being given a life ban from football by FIFA, which was later reduced to 15 years on appeal, Nyantakyi maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, arguing that the footage was manipulated.
Key issues in the trial included the failure of state prosecutors to call any of their five planned witnesses, including Anas Aremeyaw Anas, the undercover journalist who conducted the investigation. Anas sought to testify while wearing a mask for safety reasons, leading to complications regarding the courtroom proceedings. The prosecution’s inability to secure witness testimony ultimately led to the case’s collapse, resulting in the judge discharging Nyantakyi.
The legal challenges stemmed from an investigative documentary titled ‘Number 12,’ which exposed various financial improprieties in Ghanaian football. Nyantakyi was among over 100 officials implicated, with footage allegedly showing him receiving $65,000 from a fake investor. Following the release of the documentary, he resigned from his positions within GFA, CAF, and FIFA before facing disciplinary action from FIFA for breaching bribery rules.
Moreover, the trial was marred by ongoing delays, including the murder of Ahmed Hussein-Suale, a journalist associated with the documentary and a potential witness in the case. In an additional development, another charge against Nyantakyi for fraudulently using the name of former Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo has also been dismissed. The culmination of these factors has resulted in a significant outcome for Nyantakyi, freeing him from the fraud charges after years of legal entanglement.
The lengthy legal battle involving Kwesi Nyantakyi concluded with the court discharging him of fraud and corruption charges due to the prosecution’s failure to present witnesses. His case illustrates the complexities of legal proceedings in corruption investigations and highlights the challenges faced by whistleblowers and journalists in similar contexts. Nyantakyi, previously banned from football due to misconduct allegations, is now free from legal scrutiny regarding these charges.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
