The headquarters of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) was sealed by local police who declared it a “crime scene” on June 8, two days after an investigative documentary was aired.
Meanwhile, Adel Range Marwa, the sole Kenyan referee among the 16 African officials at the 2018 World Cup, will no longer appear at the tournament after being filmed accepting a 600-dollar cash gift.
Kwesi Nyantakyi, Ghana’s FIFA Council member and the second most influential man in African football, was also caught up in a separate sting operation after being captured in the documentary using the names of high-ranking government officials to allegedly defraud foreign investors.
The documentary, titled Number 12, was produced by Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremayaw Amas.
Anas Aremayaw Amas always wears beaded masks when appearing in front of the public. /Photo via Twitter
The video captured officials as well as referees accepting cash gifts from sponsors. /Screenshot from the documentary.
Anas spent two years investigating alleged corruption and underhand activities conducted by top officials and referees of the Ghana Football Association.
In the footage, Nyantakyi received 65,000 dollars in cash from an undercover reporter pretending to be a businessman from a Middle Eastern company seeking opportunities to invest in Ghanaian football. Later on, he signed a sponsorship deal on the behalf of GFA with the reporter in a luxury hotel in the Middle East.
Under the deal, Nyantakyi could make up to 4.5 million dollars from the diversion of funds, according to BBC Sport.
“Thank you for the gift, but the most important is our friendship, getting to know each other,” he said after accepting the money only a few minutes after the first meeting.
After the public screening of the documentary, the Ghana government announced the immediate dissolution of the football association because of “the widespread nature of the apparent rot involving top GFA officials.”
The audience at the premiere of the documentary. /Photo from Twitter
“Government is shocked and outraged at the contents of the recently aired video documentary, which captures the investigation conducted into football administration by the journalist,” a statement said.
Nyantakyi was also put under investigation by the Criminal Investigations Department under suspicion of “defrauding under false pretenses” on the orders of Ghana president Nana Akufo-Addo.
Nyantakyi initially denied all wrongdoing.
Police said in a statement that officers have started investigations into activities of the GFA and its officers based on the footage of ‘Number 12’. As a result, the association’s premises “have been sealed off and remain inaccessible to the staff of the association” until further notice.
On the same day, Nayantakyi resigned after a meeting with the GFA’s executive committee.
“I wish to clarify that at no time prior to or subsequent to any deliberations on the video did I consult, contact of inform any Government official discussions on the video. I take sole and personal responsibility for the proceedings on the video,” he said in a statement.
Source:news.cgtn.com
