A Ghanaian high court has dismissed the fraud and corruption case against Kwesi Nyantakyi, the former president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), after a protracted five-year legal battle.
Nyantakyi, once a prominent figure in African football, was accused of conspiracy to commit fraud after being secretly filmed accepting money from an undercover journalist in 2018. The sting operation was part of an investigative documentary titled Number 12, which aimed to expose corruption in football governance.
In addition to leading the GFA, Nyantakyi was a vice president of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and a member of the FIFA Council. Following the exposé, FIFA handed him a lifetime ban for breaching bribery and corruption rules, though the penalty was later reduced to 15 years on appeal. Despite maintaining his innocence, claiming the footage was manipulated, Nyantakyi resigned from all his positions in football administration.
The case against him faltered due to the prosecution’s failure to present its key witnesses, including investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who sought to testify while wearing a mask for security reasons. Ghana’s courts debated whether Anas should be allowed to conceal his identity, ultimately leading to delays. Additionally, the murder of investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale, a key contributor to Number 12, further complicated the trial.
On Thursday, state prosecutors requested a one-month adjournment to reassess their approach, but the court rejected their appeal, leading to Nyantakyi’s discharge. The ruling marks the conclusion of a case that has significantly shaped the discourse on corruption in African football.
