Gov’t not shielding Nyantakyi- Deputy AG

A Deputy Attorney General Joseph Kpemka says he cannot confirm or deny whether his office has received evidence of crime about banned former Football Association President.

He has however assured that government will not shield anybody found to have fallen foul of the law.

His comments are in reaction to claims that government is dragging its feet and does not want to prosecute the embattled FA boss, Kwesi Nyantakyi.

Mr. Nyantakyi has been banned for life from all football-related activities and in addition, will pay 500,000 Swiss Francs for breaching FIFA’s conflict of interest and other corruption rules.

The ban follows an undercover sting investigation by ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

That investigation was later shown in a documentary titled #Number 12 and it uncovered bribery and corruption related activities by referees, and other football administrators.

The former football association president was caught in the video peddling influence and demanding from the supposed investor, who unknown to him was an undercover investigative journalist, an amount of money to settle Ghana’s president, vice and other ministers of state.

Nyantakyi told the investigator an amount of $11million will be enough to settle the most influential politicians in the country and facilitate his business activities in the country.

He also told the investor to pay him a percentage of the sponsorship sum that was to go into sponsoring the Ghana Premier league.

The documentary shocked the country. Anas later petitioned FIFA to take action against Mr Nyantakyi and also sent similar evidence to the Economic and Organised Crime Office in Ghana.

This led to a 90-day suspension of Mr Nyantakyi by FIFA pending further investigation into the matter.

After it concluded with the investigation, FIFA has handed a life ban to the former FA boss who has since challenged the verdict and wants to appeal.

The opposition NDC does not understand why FIFA has concluded with its investigation on the matter but nothing has been heard from the government of Ghana on the same matter.

It accused the government of shielding Mr Nyantakyi because its officials together with the former FA boss are part of a “part of a bribe-taking syndicate.”

But the Deputy Attorney General said the government has no business shielding anyone.

He described as inappropriate attempts to compare the civil action taken by FIFA against Nyantakyi and the criminal action being taken by the government against the same person.

According to him, his office has a duty to ensure that whatever evidence available is conclusive enough to get a favorable verdict in court

“We are a department of prosecution not persecution,” he said, adding, “when agencies bring evidence we will prosecute.”

“AG doesn’t investigate, we prosecute,” he said.

 

source: Myjoyonline