Ghanaian football boss who mediated wrangles in Kenyan game arrested
Embattled Ghana Football Association President Kwesi Nyantakyi was on Wednesday taken into custody by plainclothes policemen, in an operation reportedly ordered for by the country’s President Nana Akufo-Addo.
The football boss – best remembered for mediating wrangles in Kenyan football in the recent past – is accused of using President Akufo-Addo’s name to solicit for monies from private businessmen with plans to invest in the west African country.
Atleast 16 policemen led by Chief Superintendent Baffour Apenteng picked up the Nyantakyi – who also is the Vice President of the Confederation of African Football – at the Airport in Accra upon his return from Morocco and whisked to the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters in Accra.
He is the second senior football official – after DRC President Omar Constant – to be rounded up by authorities in his home country.
STEP DOWN
According to the country’s Deputy Chief of Staff Samuel Abu Jinapor, President Addo reported the alleged misconduct of the FA president to the Police CID after watching excerpts of the much publicized investigative piece by Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
The police have issued a statement staying they are ‘investigating Mr Nyantaky, president of the Ghana Football Association, for alleged offences including corruption’.
The statement further confirms reports the FA president allegedly used the office of the President ‘fraudulently’.
Nyatakyi has in the meantime, received the support of some members of his administration.
Chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee Osei Palmer said the FA is ‘solidly behind’ Mr Nyantakyi, adding that calls for his boss to step down were premature because the matter which formed the basis of his arrest had nothing to do with football.
Kenya is set to play Ghana’s Black Stars in a crucial 2019 Africa Nations Cup qualifier in Nairobi in September.