A five-member Supreme Court panel presided over by Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, has quashed the decision of an Accra High Court that granted investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, permission to testify in-camera in support of charges preferred by the State against Kwesi Nyantakyi, former president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
Kwesi Nyantakyi in June 2021, was charged by the Attorney General, with fraud and corruption over his involvement in the Anas Aremeyaw Anas Number 12 Exposé.
During the case management conference (CMC) at the High Court, the prosecution prayed Justice Elfreda Dankyi’s Court to allow Anas Aremeyaw Anas to testify in support of their case in-camera.
The court inspite of the objection raised by lawyers of Kwesi Nyantakyi, at the request of the state, went ahead to grant the request of the Attorney General.
Lawyers of Nyantakyi, based on Article 126 (3) of the 1992 constitution which states that; “Except as otherwise provided in the Constitution or as may otherwise be ordered by a court in the interest of public morality, public safety, or public order, the proceedings of every court shall be held in public, proceeded to the Supreme Court on Tuesday 24 May 2022, to seek an order to quash the decision of the Supreme Court.
In court
In court on Tuesday 8 November 2022, the apex court of the land granted the application of Nyantakyi, quashing the High Court decision that granted the state permission to have its star witness testify in camera.
The parties in the case are expected to return to the High Court on Monday 28 November 2022, to close off the CMC. The trial is expected to commence on Friday 27 January 2022, which is the date the parties agreed on for the trial to start during the CMC.
Background
The embattled former GFA president, Kwesi Nyantakyi, came under heavy criticism after the content of Anas Aremeyaw Anas investigative piece entitled ‘Number12’ was aired in Ghana on 6 June 2018.
The video captured Nyantakyi supposedly taking US$65,000 (£48,000) from an undercover reporter pretending to be a businessman.
The video among other things also captured top officials of the football association including its president, Nyantakyi allegedly taking bribes to influence the invitation of players to the national team, to influence the duration of playing time offered to some players and to influence the selection of unfit players and referees to participate in games.
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