How government assisted FIFA's lifetime ban of Nyantakyi

It has emerged that the Ghanaian government played a crucial role in gathering the evidence which led to a lifetime ban from all football activities for former Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Kwesi Nyantakyi.

Correspondence between the Deputy Attorney General of Ghana, Mr Godfred Dame and the Chairperson of the Investigatory Chamber, FIFA Ethics Committee, Maria Claudia Rojas sighted by Graphic Online reveals that the government provided damning evidence including e-mails, a copy of the Dzamefe Commission Report and a USB stick containing an investigative documentary.

Describing the conduct of Mr Nyantakyi during the 2014 FIFA World Cup as deplorable, government listed 9 illegal acts allegedly committed by Nyantakyi.

An excerpt of the correspondence

These acts include unlawful payment of money to companies who did not perform services they were engaged for, poor financial management of the GFA, unjustified payment to members and officials of the GFA including Mr Nyantakyi as well as countless instances of misappropriation of government monies.

"The illegal enterprise for which the GFA was used, captured public attention in 2014 following Ghana's participation in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Competition in Brazil," a portion of the Deputy AG's correspondence read.

The FIFA response

A hard copy of the Dzamefe Commission report was handed over to Mr Luca Nicola, Fifa's Manager of Member Association by Mr Dame on September 13 in Accra.

What is the Dzamefe Commission Report

The Dzamefe Commission of Inquiry investigated Ghana’s participation in the Brazil 2014 World Cup and exposed some lapses in the handling of the activities of the senior national team, the Black Stars.

Interesting scenes, including weeping, exposé about ‘coefficients’ and contradictions of amounts paid for services rendered were recorded during the four-month hearing.

The Dzamefe Commission of Inquiry, chaired by Mr Justice Senyo Dzamefe, an Appeal Court Judge, was commissioned by President John Mahama to look into Ghana's participation in the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

Other members of the commission were Mr Moses Foh-Amoaning, a legal practitioner and Mr Kofi Anokye Owusu-Darko, a sports enthusiast.

The commission began its work on August 4, 2014, and completed its work on December 14, 2014.

Background

FIFA's adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has banned former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwasi Nyantakyi for life from all football-related activities with immediate effect.

The adjudicatory chamber found Mr Nyantakyi guilty of having violated Article 19 (conflict of interest), Article 21 (Bribery and corruption) and Article 22 (Commission) of the FIFA Code of Ethics, 2012 edition.

Mr Nyantakyi has additionally been fined 500,000 Swiss Francs (over GH₡2.4million).

According to a FIFA statement, Mr Nyantakyi was notified today [Tuesday, October 30] about the ban.

The adjudicatory chamber carried out a formal investigation into Nyantakyi after he was filmed apparently accepting a "cash gift" in an undercover documentary titled Number12.

He was initially suspended on June 8 (two days after the premiere of Number12) for 90 days by the Committee.

On September 5, FIFA extended that ban by an additional 45 days.

He was filmed in the undercover investigation by controversial Ghanaian journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas taking $65,000 (£48,000) from an undercover reporter pretending to be a businessman.

Soon after the ban on June 8, Nyantakyi resigned from the posts he had held with football's world governing body, Fifa, and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

He left his role on the Fifa Council and stepped aside from his roles with Caf including as 1st vice-president, the most senior figure at the confederation after its president, Ahmad.

As well as the Fifa suspension Nyantakyi also resigned as president of the GFA on June 8 following an executive committee meeting.

Nyantakyi has announced his intention to appeal the decision.