Kwasi Nyantakyi Discharged By Accra High Court Due To Prosecution’s Inability To Present Key Witness

In a significant development, the Accra High Court has discharged former Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Kwasi Nyantakyi, after the prosecution failed to produce its principal witness, investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, for testimony. This decision effectively brings an end to the high-profile case that has been ongoing since 2018.

The case stemmed from the “Number 12” exposé, a documentary released in 2018 by Anas and his Tiger Eye P.I. team, which alleged widespread corruption within Ghanaian football, with Nyantakyi at the center of the scandal. Following the exposé, Nyantakyi faced charges including fraud and corruption.

Throughout the trial, a contentious issue was Anas’s insistence on testifying while wearing his trademark mask to protect his identity. In a recent ruling on January 30, 2025, the Court of Appeal ordered that Anas must testify in open court without his mask, overturning a previous High Court decision that allowed him to testify in disguise.

Anas declined to comply with the order to testify without his mask, citing concerns for his personal safety. This refusal led to delays in the trial, as the prosecution was unable to present its key witness. The High Court had previously warned that it would dismiss the case if the prosecution failed to produce a witness by April 30, 2024.

Given the prosecution’s inability to present Anas as a witness, the court discharged Nyantakyi, citing a lack of evidence to proceed with the trial. This outcome underscores the challenges faced in balancing the protection of whistleblowers and witnesses with the rights of the accused to a fair trial.