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The former president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi, has been charged with fraud and corruption over his involvement in the Number 12 exposé.

This is in addition to the charge of conspiracy to commit fraud, which has been levelled against him, together with the former Northern regional representative of the GFA, Abdulai Alhassan.

The two gentlemen have pleaded not guilty.

This is the second time the accused persons’ plea was taken on the matter.

The two football administrators have been admitted to their previous bail bond of GHS1 million each with three sureties to be justified.

They are also to report to the case investigator until the final determination of the case.

The court, presided over by Justice El-Freda Denkyi, adjourned the case to July 23 for a case management conference.

Background

The former GFA boss was secretly recorded by undercover private investigation firm Tiger Eye P.I. led by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas in a documentary titled Number 12.

The names of President Nana Akufo-Addo and some officials at the presidency came up during the investigative report, which led the President to refer the matter to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service.

However, the legal processes toward Mr Nyantakyi’s prosecution, according to the Attorney General, stalled after the murder of a key member of that undercover team, Ahmed Hussein-Suale.

Anas Aremeyaw Anas premiered his documentary in June 2017, which detailed corruption in Ghana football.

The film captured Mr Nyantakyi apparently accepting a "cash gift" and violating several provisions in FIFA’s code of ethics.

Apart from Mr Nyantakyi, several referees and other sports officials were also implicated, leading to the dissolution of the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

World football governing body FIFA subsequently removed Mr Nyantakyi from office at the organisation and banned him for life from all football-related activities.

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.