Ghana FA Boss in Police Custody for Interrogations

GFA Chief Kwesi Nyantakyi

Accra, Ghana, May 23, 2018//-The embattled President of the Ghana Football Association Kwesi Nyantakyi has been picked up by the police over alleged acts of bribery and influence peddling, barely minutes after touching down from a trip to Morocco.

Officers of the Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) stationed at the airport whisked him from the Airport to the Police Headquarters where investigations began, according to reports.

At least 16 plain cloth police officers from CID HQ led by Chief Supt Baffuor Apenteng  Deputy Director of Operations at CID picked him up at the Airport, used the presidential lounge and drove him to the police HQ.

His lawyer, whose identity is yet to be disclosed, was present at the police HQ, to assist with investigations.

The FA president is accused of using the name of Ghana’s president and his vice to solicit monies from private businessmen who have plans to invest in the country.

Ghana’s president Nana Akufo-Addo, according to a Deputy Chief of Staff, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has reported the alleged misconduct of the FA president to the Police CID after watching excerpts of the much-publicized investigative piece by Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

That formed the basis of the arrest and subsequent investigations.

The police have issued a statement saying they are “investigating Mr Nyantakyi , President of the Ghana Football Association for alleged offences including corruption.”

The statement further confirms reports the FA president allegedly used the office of the president “fraudulently.”

The police say due process will be followed in the matter and asked persons with any relevant information on the matter to submit same to the police.

Even before the investigations began, some members of the FA threw their support behind the embattled president.

The Chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee Osei Palmer said the FA is “solidly behind” Mr Nyantakyi .

He said calls for Nyantakyi to step aside were premature because the matter which formed the basis of the arrest has nothing to do with football.

“The issues are clear in terms of a private discussion that was held between the president of the FA and other parties. It has nothing to do with football.”

Even though he admitted that the meeting with the unnamed businessmen [undercover journalists with Tigereye PI] was premised on the need for the FA to secure sponsorship for the league, he was quick to point out the discussion had nothing to do with football.

“Mr Nyantakyi as a  private person has to earn a living,” Osei Palmer said.

Hasty press conference

The hastily organised press conference at which a Deputy Chief of Staff, Samuel Abu Jinapor announced the president had reported the GFA President to the police, breached a confidentiality agreement with journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

Senior journalist Abdul Malik Kweku Baako said he has protested government’s decision to make the announcement in the manner it did without first informing the key actors and also in violation of an agreement between the parties.

Abu Jinapor Tuesday announced that President Nana Akufo-Addo had lodged a formal complaint with police over the inappropriate use of his name by Ghana Football Association President, Kwesi Nyantakyi.

Mr Nyantakyi is alleged to have used the name of the President and Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia to solicit millions of dollars in bribe, prompting the report to the police for investigations.

According to Kweku Baako, once the president and the vice-president were mentioned by Nyantakyi as potential beneficiaries of bribe money, they had a right to know.

It was to that extent only that the portions of the investigation concerning them were presented to them for viewing.

The presentation, Kweku Baako said on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo programme, preceded a confidentiality agreement barring the revealing of the content at least until the day, or the day before, the full video was due for screening – June 6, 2018.

The senior journalist said he was surprised, and the BBC shocked, that in spite of this agreement, the presidency without informing either Tiger Eye or the BBC, went to town with the contents of the five-minute video (in respect of the president), and three-minute video (in respect of the Vice-President)

“I have complained to those who called the press conference. I protested and I gave reasons for my protest and I’m told my protests have been made known to the president,” he said.

Nonetheless, “No fatal injury as such has been caused,” he stressed, adding the presidency explained the announcement had to be made because suggestions were being made, especially on social media, that the President and his vice were cited for wrongdoing in the –yet-to-be-aired investigative video.

The presidency insists it was forced to take the step because journalist, Kwami Sefa Kayi, had stated on his Kokrokoo show that the President and his Vice had been mentioned in the investigative video – a statement picked up by social media and spread in a manner designed to tar the two.

Kweku Baako said the Kwasi Nyantakyi component is only a fraction of the potential infractions and ethical violations captured by the investigators

“You will see so many things, hundreds of people involved – football administrators, political elements, referees, linesmen (assistant referees) and so on.”

Kweku Baako expressed regret that the GFA President had been caught in a web he may have helped weave.

“I like Kwesi Nyantakyi; he knows that; it is painful what has happened but one cannot cover up what appears to be a transgression.”

African Eye Report/Myjoyonline 

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