Ghana High Court Discharges ex FA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi After Five-Year Corruption Trial

A High Court in Accra has discharged Kwesi Nyantakyi, the former president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), marking the end of a prolonged five-year legal battle that stemmed from allegations of corruption and fraud.

Nyantakyi, who was once one of Africa’s most influential football administrators, had been at the centre of the 2018 “Number 12” investigative exposé, led by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, which sought to expose corruption in Ghanaian football. Despite the documentary’s revelations, the case against Nyantakyi collapsed after state prosecutors failed to present any of their five listed witnesses, including Anas himself.

A Trial That Never Took Off

The case faced years of delays due to legal controversies surrounding whether Anas could testify while wearing his trademark beaded mask to protect his anonymity.

• In May 2023, a High Court ruling permitted Anas to testify while masked.
• However, a later decision by the Court of Appeal ruled that he had to testify without the mask, a decision that further stalled proceedings.
• On Thursday, February 15, 2025, state prosecutors requested another one-month adjournment, but the judge denied the request, citing lack of evidence.

With no witnesses to testify, Justice Marie-Louise Simmonds ruled that there was no legal basis to continue the trial and discharged Nyantakyi and his co-accused.

Number 12 Exposé: The Investigation That Shook Ghanaian Football

Nyantakyi’s legal troubles began after he was secretly filmed accepting $65,000 from an undercover reporter posing as a businessman in the BBC Africa Eye-backed investigation.

The footage, part of the documentary “Number 12”, captured Nyantakyi promising business deals and claiming he could use his connections, including with then-President Nana Akufo-Addo, to secure lucrative contracts.

Following the release of the documentary, the consequences were swift:

• Resigned from his position as GFA President.
• Removed as Vice-President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA Council member.
• Banned for life by FIFA in 2018 for violating bribery and corruption rules, later reduced to 15 years upon appeal.

Despite these sanctions, Nyantakyi denied any wrongdoing, claiming the footage was doctored and that he had only received a reimbursement for travel expenses.

Legal Wrangles and Security Concerns

One of the biggest obstacles in the case was securing witness testimony.

Anas, the lead investigator and key witness, insisted on testifying while masked, citing security risks. His fears were not unfounded—Ahmed Hussein-Suale, a journalist involved in the Number 12 exposé, was murdered by unidentified gunmen in January 2019.

The court’s rejection of Anas’ request to wear a mask effectively ended any chance of his testimony being heard.

Additionally, another charge against Nyantakyi, involving the fraudulent use of former President Akufo-Addo’s name, was also dropped.

Questions Over Justice and Football Governance

The collapse of the case has sparked debate about justice in sports governance and the effectiveness of Ghana’s anti-corruption mechanisms.

While some see the ruling as a legal failure, others believe Nyantakyi’s punishment by FIFA—which remains in effect—was sufficient.

With the criminal charges now dropped, questions arise about Nyantakyi’s future in football administration. However, his 15-year FIFA ban prevents him from holding any official roles in the sport.