The Court of Appeal has fixed Thursday, January 30, 2025, to decide on the prosecution’s appeal against the High Court’s order for investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, to unmask in front of Kwasi Nyantakyi before testifying in open court.
The panel of three, presided over by Justice Anthony Oppong, set the date after the parties were ordered to file their respective written submissions on December 16, 2024.
The decision of the panel, which includes Justice Kweku Tawiah Ackaah Boafo and Justice Aboagye Tandoh, will determine the progress of the matter before the High Court.
On May 17, 2023, the High Court, presided over by Justice Marie-Louise Simmons, granted an application from the lawyers of the former Ghana Football Association president and ordered that Anas unmask to the accused persons in chambers before testifying in open court while masked.
However, Anas, who is the star prosecution witness in the case in which Nyantakyi and Abdulai Alhassan have been charged with fraud (following the death of Ahmed Suale), declined the ruling of the court, leaving the commencement of the trial stalled.
State prosecutors filed an appeal against the ruling of the High Court, which left the case pending until the second-highest court of the land decided on the appeal.
At the High Court on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, when the case was called before a relieving judge, Justice Ruby Aryeetey, the case was adjourned to February 13, 2025.
Defense lawyer Baffour Gyau Bonsu Ashia said, “We are currently waiting for the decision by the Court of Appeal.”
He explained that the Court of Appeal has adjourned the determination of the matter to January 30, 2025.
“We pray the matter be adjourned to February 13, the same day the substantive matter has been adjourned to,” counsel prayed, as the case was adjourned accordingly.
Charges
The former GFA president was charged with fraud and corruption over his involvement in Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ investigative exposé, Number 12.
Mr. Nyantakyi, who is also facing the charge of conspiracy to commit fraud with the former Northern Regional representative of the GFA, Abdulai Alhassan, has pleaded not guilty.
The two football administrators have been admitted to their previous bail sum of GH₵1 million each with three sureties, to be justified. They are also required to report to the case investigator until the final determination of the case.
Background
The embattled former GFA president, Nyantakyi, came under heavy criticism after the content of Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ investigative piece entitled Number 12 was aired in Ghana on June 6, 2018.
The video captured Nyantakyi allegedly taking $65,000 (approximately £48,000) from an undercover reporter pretending to be a businessman.
The video, among other things, also captured top officials of the football association, including its president, Nyantakyi, allegedly taking bribes to influence the invitation of players to the national team, to influence the duration of playing time offered to some players, and to influence the selection of unfit players and referees to participate in games.
Number 12 also exposed more than 100 referees allegedly taking bribes to manipulate the outcome of games in favor of certain teams.
Following the first screening of the video, which attracted more than 3,000 people, many called for the complete dissolution of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the immediate resignation of its embattled president, Kwesi Nyantakyi.
Nyantakyi, who was also the first vice president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), eventually resigned from all football-related positions shortly after the video was aired.
FIFA subsequently suspended Kwasi Nyantakyi and later banned him for life.
