Kwesi Nyantakyi Charged With Fraud...

Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi

 

Kwasi Nyantakyi at the court yesterday...

The former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwasi Nyantakyi, has appeared
before an Accra High Court charged with fraud and corruption by a public
officer.

Mr. Nyantakyi, who is serving a life ban from all football-related activities,
together with a former member of the executive committee of the GFA, is in
court alongside Abdulai Alhassan over what the prosecution said were certain
shady deals which were exposed by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas
in his Number 12 investigative piece.

Both former GFA officials are facing a total of three counts of conspiracy, fraud
and corruption by a public officer. The two, according to the prosecution, executed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on behalf of a non-existent company, claiming to be attracting sponsorship for
the Ghana Premier Football League.

They were further alleged to have demanded US$12 million from supposed investors,
promising to land them major contracts in Ghana. The investigative piece by Anas, which ‘indicted’ Mr. Nyantakyi, covers the 2018 Commonwealth Games, 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the Ministry of Youth & Sports, GFA, the Ghana FA Cup and the Women’s Football League.

The investigative piece which initially focused on football matters in the country
eventually ‘diverted’ to political and investment matters as the ex-GFA boss
tried to allegedly convince the ‘investors’ he had what it took to influence
the business community in Ghana. He discussed a certain US$12 million deal with his ‘investors’, who unknown to him were from the Tiger Eye PI – and that was how the name of the President, his Vice and some government officials came in.

Main Facts
The facts of the case presented by Victoria Asiedua, a Principal State Attorney, were
that Tiger Eye PI in 2017 presented itself to the accused persons as representatives of H.H Sheikh Hammad Al Thani, a member of the royal family of Qatar and Chairman of Medgulf Company Limited.

She said Tiger Eye had told the accused persons that they were interested in
sponsoring the Ghana Premier League (GPL) and other GFA activities as well as
infrastructural construction, oil refinery, banking, among others. The court heard that officials of Tiger Eye presented themselves as representatives of Medgulf through emails and held a series of meetings in Accra and Dubai, which were secretly recorded by Tiger Eye.

It said that at one of such meetings on October 7, 2017 in Dubai, Mr. Nyantakyi
presented himself as a powerful person and a potential public officer who could
influence the President, the Vice-President, Minister for Roads & Highways,
and Minister for Transport of Ghana to promote the business interest of Medgulf
in Ghana.

According to the prosecution, it was agreed at that meeting that Medgulf would sponsor
the Ghana Premier League with a total of US$15 million for three years, which
resulted in the execution of an MoU between Medgulf and a non-existent company
called Namax Company that would represent the interest of Medgulf on Ghana.

Mr. Nyantakyi, according to the facts, in his capacity as the GFA president signed
on behalf of Namax and it was witnessed by Mr. Alhassan.
Again, the fact said it was agreed between Mr. Nyantakyi and official of Tiger Eye
that all moneys paid by Medgulf to Ghana would be channelled through Fountain
Savings & Loans Limited, a company in which Mr. Nyantakyi allegedly held
majority shares.

The facts further stated that Tiger Eye paid US$65,000 to Mr. Nyantakyi as
inducement for showing favour to Medgulf as a potential sponsor of the Ghana
Premier League and to provide business opportunities for Medgulf in Ghana.

It said Mr. Nyantakyi also demanded from Tiger Eye a total of US$12 million to
influence the award of contracts to Medgulf in Ghana, which was to be distributed
among government officials in the manner of the President (US$5 million), his
Vice (US$3 million), Minister of Roads & Highways (US$2 million), Deputy
Minister of Roads & Highways (US$1) million while he himself and Alhassan
would keep the remaining US$1 million.

The two were said to have made several demands for the payment of the US$12 million
as well as the GPL sponsorship money which Tiger Eye refused to pay and made a
complaint to the police.

Bail Application
Lawyers for the two pleaded with the court to grant them bail pending the trial. The court presided over by Justice Comfort Tasiame granted the two bail of US$1 million each with three sureties, one of whom must be verified each. The two are also to report to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) every Friday. The case was adjourned to March 25, 2020 for case management.

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