The Court of Appeal will on January 30, 2025 decide whether investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas should reveal his identity, to Kwesi Nyantakyi, the former president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), before he testifies in court, per reports by GHOne TV.
This development follows a request from Nyantakyi, who has demanded that Anas disclose his true identity, citing concerns over the journalist’s credibility in the ongoing legal proceedings.
Nyantakyi is facing serious charges of fraud and corruption as a result of his involvement in Anas’ high-profile “#Number 12” exposé, which revealed widespread corruption within Ghanaian football.
The exposé, which aired in 2018, exposed the unethical practices of several football officials, including Nyantakyi, who was caught on camera accepting bribes and engaging in corrupt activities.
As a consequence, Nyantakyi resigned from his position as GFA president and was banned by FIFA for life from all football-related activities.
Abdulai Alhassan, the former Northern Regional GFA chairman and the second accused in the case, is also facing charges of conspiracy to commit fraud.
Both Nyantakyi and Alhassan have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The ruling from the Court of Appeal will determine whether Nyantakyi’s request for Anas to disclose his identity will be granted, and this will ultimately allow the substantive case to proceed in the Accra High Court.
The High Court had previously postponed the trial, with Justice Marie-Louise Simmons stating that it would wait for the Court of Appeal’s decision before continuing the case.
She emphasized that it would be inappropriate to move forward with the trial while the matter was still pending before the appellate court.
This legal decision is crucial, as it will set the stage for the trial of one of the most significant corruption cases in Ghanaian football history.
