Ghana can slap Nyantakyi with bribery, corruption charges – Anas’ Lawyer
The lawyer for investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas has argued that the state can charge the former Ghana Football Association boss with bribery and corruption.
The former GFA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi on Tuesday suffered a lifetime ban from all football-related activities after the world football governing body, FIFA found him guilty of the conflict of interest, bribery and corruption laws of the association.
There have been some concerns about delays in a possible criminal prosecution of the former FA boss.
Earlier in 2018 the Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo told the media she has not received the docket from the investigative bodies to enable her go to court.
Speaking on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM Wednesday, the lawyer for Anas — whose investigations revealed acts of misconduct by Mr Nyantakyi in a video titled Number 12 — said there is evidence to prosecute the former GFA boss.
“…there’s bribery and corruption,” Kissi Adjabeng responded when asked what has been committed by Nyantakyi.
He added that the question of the jurisdiction under which the investigative video was recorded cannot shoot down the evidence because other transactions were carried out in Ghana.
“A company was set up in Ghana in anticipation of receiving monies here in Ghana…most of the act in pursuance for that enterprise were done in this jurisdiction. So you cannot say the video was recorded in Dubai so whatever was perpetrated was done in Dubai,” he told the host, Daniel Dadzie.
He also explained that “the one engineering [the corrupt act] and the one on whose behalf it is being engineered and the purpose it was being done and the aim and final object of the one engineering it,” are all factors to consider to file those charges.
The lawyer added that Anas and the team have handed all the evidence given to FIFA to Ghana’s [Economic and Organised Crime Office and others] investigative bodies as well.
Further Investigations
Private legal practitioner, Samson Lardy Anyenini who spoke on the morning show believes Ghanaians should be asking more questions of the investigative bodies rather than demanding speedy action from the Attorney General.
“The AG is not an investigative authority…” he explained. He added that without further investigations, what the footage shows may not be enough to constitute criminal charges against Mr Nyantakyi.
“What you saw on the footage and his pronouncements…are not matters that will constitute a criminal prosecution,” Mr. Anyenini said.
Number 12
In June, Anas Aremeyaw Anas premiered his investigative film titled ‘Number 12’ that detailed corruption in Ghana football.
Although the film focuses on the GFA boss, other officials including referees and sports authority officials.
source: Myjoyonline