A court in Accra has ordered that investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, must reveal his identity in private to Kwasi Nyantakyi, the ex-President of the Ghana Football Association, who is facing criminal charges of fraud and corruption.
This must happen whenever the case is heard before Anas gives evidence in public.
The charges against Nyantakyi stem from his alleged involvement in bribery and abuse of power, which were exposed in the Number 12 documentary by Anas, where he was seen allegedly receiving money and gifts and using his influence for personal gain.
The court in Accra had previously allowed an application by the state for Anas to give evidence in private.
However, Nyantakyi’s lawyers challenged this decision at the Supreme Court and succeeded in overturning it on the basis that the application should have been made formally and not orally.
But today, Wednesday, the court gave a partial ruling on another application regarding Anas’s testimony in camera.
According to the ruling, Nyantakyi will be able to see Anas’s face without his mask in private before Anas testifies in public with his mask on.
The court said that Nyantakyi will have this opportunity every time Anas gives evidence.
Anas, whose investigation led to Nyantakyi resigning from several football positions, had claimed that his life would be at risk if he gives evidence in public.
Ahmed Suale was the main witness in the case, and he was killed after the documentary was aired. Anas then offered to testify instead of him.
In June 2018, Nyantakyi was filmed taking $65,000 in cash from an undercover reporter who pretended to be a businessman interested in investing in Ghanaian football. The film was made by Anas and broadcast by BBC Africa’s investigations unit, Africa Eye.
Nyantakyi put the “shopping money” into a black plastic bag and later agreed to a fake sponsorship deal for the Ghana FA, which he had led since 2005. The fake deal, created by the reporters, would have allowed him to get millions of dollars in commission from a company he controlled.
This led to him losing his roles as FIFA Council Member and 1st Vice President of CAF.
