Police cordon off GFA premises

What began on Thursday morning as protection from a possible violent reaction from the public to an investigative documentary on corruption in football has turned into a take over as over 30 armed police officers both plainclothed and uniformed invaded the GFA premises in Accra around 5pm on Friday.

On arrival, the leader of the team went up to the General Secretary's office to inform him of their mission after which they asked all staff to pack and leave their offices.

"We are here to begin an investigation over an alleged case of corruption. At the moment, this is considered a crime scene and will thus entreat you to leave immediately," the police told the staff as they went from office to office to alert the staff.

The police take over is also an apparent follow up to the Government statement issued last Thursday that it was taking steps to dissolve the Ghana Football Association, following the startling revelation in the Anas expose which found the president, Kwesi Nyantakyi and other FA members complicit.

Nyantakyi, has been handed a 90-day FIFA ban to allow the investigation to begin at the world football level where he is a council member, he has also tendered in his resignation as GFA President.

Background

GFA president, Kwesi Nyantakyi was recorded by undercover reporters in a video describing how to make money from a proposed sponsorship deal from a supposed investor, who was actually an undercover reporter.

For a deal worth about $15 million, he and his fellow 'conspirators' were to make $3.5 million from it in one of the most damaging scenes in the video.

He also boasted of his relationship with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, suggesting the president and his vice, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, were susceptible to bribery, and that the two could be influenced with $5 million and $3 million respectively.

The under coveer journalists also busted 77 Ghanaian referees and 14 Ghana Football Association (GFA) officials allegedly engaging in acts of corruption.