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Two years since Tiger Eye PI premiered videos that showed officials of GFA in compromising positions.
Two years since the world was let into the behind-the-scenes activities of the Ghana FA officials. And, three months, two days since Attorney General charged former GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi for ‘conspiracy to commit crime namely fraud by an agent contrary to sections 23(1) and 145(1)(a) of the criminal offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
He has also been charged with corruption by a public officer contrary to section 239(1) of the Criminal offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
The former FIFA Executive Council member and Abdulai Alhassan, the GFA Executive Council member who Tiger Eye PI contacted all pleaded not guilty to the charges at Criminal Court 4 of the Accra High Court.
Two subsequent appearances have yielded no sitting on the case.
On March 25, 2020 the prosecutor, Mrs Victoria Asieduaa, a principal State Attorney, pleaded with Justice Comfort Kwasiwor Tasiame, the judge sitting on the case for two weeks to “gather facts” on the matter.
The judge adjourned hearing to April 28, because the two weeks window upon calculation, would have been within the Easter period.
On April 28, there was no sitting on the day because of COVID-19, though Mr Nyantakyi and his lawyers were in court. They were, however, told sitting had been scheduled for May 11.
However, before May 11, a letter from the Attorney General signed by the principal state attorney three days earlier, May 8, requested for a ‘long adjournment’ after consultation with lawyers of the accused persons.
Other key details
In the court documents related to the case, meetings held in Ghana were not captured in the transcriptions, but only those that transpired in Dubai were, Joy Sports gathered.
These meetings were on October 7 and 12, 2017 respectively.
Kwesi Nyantakyi is described as A1 (first accused), whilst Abdulai Alhassan has been named A2 (second accused). Pages of the document have been numbered from B1 to B213.
It would be recalled that Mr Nyantakyi in his statement after the exposé revealed that the $65,000 bribe he is accused of taking was actually a $40,000 refund for his flight tickets for said Dubai meetings.
Tiger Eye PI discredited his claims, but only published invoices, rather than receipts, as evidence of tickets purchased for the accused persons.
In the particular case of Abdulai Alhassan, former Northern Regional Football Association Chairman, Tiger Eye PI published a flight itinerary for the trips.
As part of the court documentation, Tiger Eye PI provided no receipts or travel itineraries for Nyantakyi – this appears to corroborate the claim of Nyantakyi.
In the transcription of the conversation between Nyantakyi and the late Ahmed Hussein Suale, which took place at Taj Hotel in Dubai on 7th October 2017, and is captured on pages B27, B28, B29, and B30, it is suggested that Tiger Eye Pi and Ahmed Hussein Suale, who spearheaded the investigations, did not know the flight schedules of Mr Nyantakyi to and from Dubai.
On page B29 as sighted by Joy Sports, the conversation is transcribed as follows:
Tiger Eye: Oh yes it’s time. And in fact (it’s) because I didn’t know your flight arrangements otherwise I could have also communicated same. Maybe, he could have wait [sic] here no matter what the situation. I’m sure he would have waited to have this meeting before he leave [sic].
On page B27, the conversation is captured as follows:
Nyantakyi: The Minister would be there but I’ll leave tomorrow morning.
Tiger: Tomorrow morning?
Nyantakyi: My flight is 9:30.
Tiger: And then…?
Nyantakyi : By 7:30 I should be at the airport.
Tiger: Ehh?
Joy Sports understands, per the facts assembled, the actual meeting for the first meeting did not take place.
Nyantakyi, a former CAF First Vice President, was told Skeikh Al-Thani (who he had made to believe he was to meet in Dubai for meetings) had flu. The meeting was postponed indefinitely.
Checks revealed that, a second meeting took place in Dubai on 12th October 2017 following a request from Tiger Eye PI.
Nyantakyi arrived in Dubai around 3am on board an Egyptair flight from Cairo and was met on arrival by Alhassan and Suale.
Two meetings were held on this day: one at the Al-Ghurair Hotel, where a conversation on sponsorship of the GFA and investment opportunities in Ghana ensued. This meeting had only Nyantakyi, Suale, Alhassan and one Mohammed, reportedly a friend of Suale.
After this meeting, they proceeded to Jood Palace Hotel where Sheikh Al-Thani was present. The meeting lasted thirty minutes.
During this meeting, conversations on potential sponsorship agreements were discussed. Ahmed Suale acted as the Sheikh’s interpreter.
Two years after the video aired and shook the nation, the courts are still not closer to a decision now than at when they began hearings. Joy Sports will continue following proceedings.
