The Superior Court of New Jersey had initially awarded the amount to investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas following a lawsuit stemming from allegedly defamatory remarks made by Agyapong and social media commentator Frederick Asamoah during a 2021 interview circulated online.

In a statement issued by Anas’ media outfit, Tiger Eye PI, on Monday, May 12, it was confirmed that although the jury’s verdict finding Agyapong guilty of defamation still stands, the trial judge granted a motion for remittitur—a legal reduction of damages—bringing the financial penalty down to $500.

The journalist emphasized that the ruling still affirms Agyapong’s liability for malicious defamation.

“As Ghanaians may recall, an American jury found Kennedy Agyapong guilty of maliciously defaming my character. An amount of $18 million was awarded in my favour,” the statement read.

“Kennedy Agyapong filed a motion for remittitur… Inherent in his motion, he admitted to having maliciously defamed me.”

According to the statement, the judge determined that the original jury award was excessive and therefore lowered the amount without overturning the defamation verdict.

Anas expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stressing that the case was not about money but about vindicating his reputation and upholding truth and justice.

“I am happy that not a single allegation was proven against me in court when Kennedy Agyapong was given full opportunity to substantiate,” he added.

He reaffirmed his commitment to fighting corruption and pledged to continue his mission to “name, shame, and jail” those who undermine the public interest.

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At the three-day event, investigative journalists and representatives of international organizations highlighted the positive impact of the Whistleblowers and Journalists Safety International Centre (WAJSIC) and the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) in providing refuge and legal support for those at risk.

Over recent years, both WAJSIC and PPLAAF have become lifelines for journalists and whistleblowers across Africa, especially in volatile regions like the Sahel.

Funded by the European Union and the German development agency GIZ, WAJSIC serves as a sanctuary for those who face persecution for exposing corruption, injustice, and abuse of power.

Meanwhile, PPLAAF offers essential support for whistleblowers, including strategic litigation and advocacy, enabling them to disclose vital information in the public interest under even the most challenging circumstances.

During a session focused on whistleblowers’ role in investigative journalism, Anas reflected on the vital and often perilous connection between journalists and whistleblowers.

“Few people are brave enough to stand as whistleblowers, facing ostracization and real dangers,” he noted.

He underscored the responsibility journalists have in safeguarding their sources’ identities, as whistleblowers often endure double the risks journalists face.

“They come to us as their last hope,” he said, stressing the need to handle their disclosures with care and caution.

Gabriel Bourdon-Fattal and PPLAAF’s Regional Project Officer, Gemma-Maé Hartley, highlighted the serious consequences that whistleblowers frequently endure for revealing “opaque acts of corruption, abuse of power, or public health threats.” These include job loss, blacklisting, death threats, exile, and even assassination.

They urged journalists to recognize the complex legal protections available to whistleblowers and to use secure communication methods when interacting with sources.

The importance of WAJSIC and PPLAAF’s work resonated deeply with attendees, including Namibian student journalist Bella Shilongo, who expressed a renewed sense of safety and purpose: “Knowing there is protection not just for me but for my sources and whistleblowers encourages me to pursue journalism wholeheartedly.”

Jennifer Ambolley from The Ghanaian Chronicle shared a similar sentiment, feeling newly empowered to pursue previously withheld stories.

Philip Paye of Liberia acknowledged the impact of these organizations but voiced concerns over their sustainability, hoping they wouldn’t become “a 9-day wonder.”

A Malian journalist, who withheld his identity for security reasons, praised WAJSIC and PPLAAF’s initiatives, citing the severe repression journalists face in Mali.

“In Mali, where many journalists endure threats from Russian trolls and government propagandists, having a refuge like WAJSIC could mean the difference between survival and silence,” he said.

Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Bourdon-Fattal’s work has set a remarkable precedent for media freedom and whistleblower protection across Africa.

With the support of international partners and advocates, WAJSIC and PPLAAF are proving instrumental in upholding the rights of those who risk everything to reveal the truth and protect the public interest.

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The former Ghana Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro described Anas as dishonest during an interview on Starr FM on Thursday, August 29, 2024.

Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe commented on the career of former Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kwasi Nyantakyi, suggesting that Nyantakyi could have achieved greater international success if not for Anas’s Number 12 documentary, which led to Nyantakyi’s lifetime ban by FIFA.

The retired military officer expressed his distrust of Anas, despite the journalist’s accolades and reputation.

“I personally don’t believe that gentleman [Anas]… I have no issue with him, I don’t even know him. But after carefully observing how he operates, I can see that he is not an honest man,” he remarked.

Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe criticized Anas’s methods, arguing that an investigative journalist should keep their findings confidential until they are ready to reveal them to the public.

He specifically took issue with Anas showing the Number 12 documentary to individuals like President Akufo-Addo and former President John Mahama before its public release. “Those people shouldn’t have seen it. Akufo-Addo shouldn’t have seen it, John Mahama shouldn’t have seen it, and neither should anyone else. The first group he should have shown it to was the public. After having shown it to certain personalities, the whole thing lost its interest,” he stated.

Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe also criticized the selective attention given to Nyantakyi following the documentary, noting that other names mentioned were largely ignored.

He maintained that, what Anas practices is not true investigative journalism.

“I don’t know Anas, but I personally don’t believe him. I don’t think he’s doing genuine work. I’ve read about investigative journalists, and this is not the way they operate. He tricks and traps people. He wasn’t fair to Kwasi Nyantakyi, not at all” he added.

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The court set April 30, 2024, as the deadline for the first witness to appear before it or the accused persons will be discharged and the case will dismissed.

The court, in February, said, “If by April, no meaningful steps have been taken, Nyantakyi will be discharged.”

The accused’s lawyer hence prayed the court to dismiss the case, reminding the court of its earlier pronouncement of dismissing the case if the prosecution is not in court on April 30, 2024.

He cited the inconvenience caused by the second accused (Abdulai Alhassan), who has to travel from Tamale to Accra anytime the case is called and the inconvenience caused by the first accused (Kwesi Nyantakyi) by the state not opening their case as the basis for the case to “come to an end at a point in time.”

The court, however, said it had received two letters signed by the substantive attorney for the state all dated April 26, 2024, with both letters indicating the said counsel’s request for an adjournment due to her being called up for “an official assignment.”

The counsel in one of the letters called for an adjournment to May 15, and the other to May 22, 2024.

The court did indicate that at the last adjourned date it mentioned the pending two interlocutory appeals by both parties, especially by the first accused person on May 17, 2023, concerning the testimony of the first witness, the court was reluctant not to discharge the accused.

The court said it had been informed by the registrar of the court of appeal of the state of the appeal pending.

The court stated that the delay in the appeal had been due to some logistical constraint and also partly due to a mistake made by the prosecution in the title of the case (to correct the misspelt name of the first accused person) which, the order was granted.

While waiting for the Court of Appeal to determine the mode of testimony by Anas, the court proceeded to strike out witness statements of four other witnesses who have not been presented to testify despite repeated orders of the court to do so.

The case has been adjourned to June 10, 2024.

Background
Former GFA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi is facing charges of fraud by agent and corruption over his involvement in Anas Aremeyaw Anas’s “#Number 12 exposé”.

Mr Nyantakyi and former Northern Regional GFA boss, Abdulai Alhassan, who is the second accused, are facing additional charges of conspiracy to fraud.

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In a statement issued by Tiger Eye PI, it said its Chief Executive Officer will not testify for the state in the famous Republic vs. Nyantakyi case at the Accra High Court until the Supreme Court rescinds its decision ordering him to reveal his identity to Kwesi Nyantakyi and his legal team.

The statement issued on April 2, 2024 explained that, disclosing his identity to the former Ghana FA president and his legal team poses a significant risk to his safety.

“Anas perceives this as a significant risk to his personal safety. However, should the Supreme Court grant permission for his testimony without disclosing his identity, Anas is prepared to cooperate fully as a witness to the state.”

In a statement released on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in response to allegations by Mr. Nyantakyi that he paid $100,000 to one Adam Munkaila, his former colleague at the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Committee, and Kwame Gyan, a law lecturer at the University of Ghana, after they alleged that Anas demanded $150,000 to drop the documentary televised in June 2018, Tiger Eye PI noted that the matter is in court, but Anas will not testify.

“…Additionally, he [Kwesi Nyantakyi] faces ongoing criminal trial for corruption and fraud at the High Court in Accra. Mr Nyantakyi’s desperation attempt to evade accountability could only happen after murder of the key witness for the state, Ahmed Suale, after his face was shown on national television. A day before his assassination, Mr Suale was in conference with state prosecutors over the criminal trial of Nyantakyi, portion of the release stated.

It added that, “Anas Aremeyaw Anas, now a crucial witness for the state, has opted not to testify following a Supreme Court ruling mandating him to show his face to Mr Nyantakyi and his legal team,” portion of the release stated.

Mr Nyantakyi secured a Supreme Court ruling for Anas to show his face before his testimony is taken. 

Anas had said he may choose to testify or nor.

Read full statement below

Former Ghana Football Association president alleged that he paid $100,000 to investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, in an attempt to kill the release of the exposé. 

According to Nyantakyi, Anas demanded an amount of $150,000 through his lawyers, to kill the story, but he could only come up with $100,000.

However, Tiger PI and Anas, in a statement released on Tuesday strongly denied the allegations, branding the ex football administrator as naive. 

“Tiger Eye P.I. and Anas Aremeyaw Anas categorically deny any involvement in soliciting or accepting bribes from Kwesi Nyantakyi prior to the publication of the documentary. The core mission of Tiger Eye and Anas is to expose and confront corruption, making the notion of shielding corrupt individuals utterly preposterous given the extensive resources and efforts invested in producing such exposés,” they wrote in a statement. 

“Mr. Nyantakyi’s assumption that such a priceless exposé, which had long been advertised by BBC, could be shelved by simply ‘paying’ a $100,000 bribe is not only shocking but also indicative of naivety. Tiger Eye underscores its robust internal mechanisms in place, making it difcult for any individual to alter or suppress an investigation.

”Mr. Nyantakyi, by his admission, is a self-confessed bribe-giver, and a bribe-taker for attempting to bribe his way out of a painstaking investigation into his conduct. Per his self-confessed bribery attempt, Mr. Nyantakyi has proven that the life-ban from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at national and international level for conflict of interest and bribery offences provided for by FIFA Code of Ethics (FCE) was justified.”

Tiger Eye PI, also denied ever having a working relationship with one Kwame Gyan, the lawyer Nyantakyi alleged facilitated the attempted bribery between the two parties. 

The investigative firm also challenged the former CAF Vice President to produce evidence of the alleged arrangement.

”It should be noted that neither Tiger Eye P.I. nor Anas Aremeyaw Anas engaged the services of a lawyer named Kwame Gyan from the University of Ghana. At all material times, including before, during, and after the production of the Number12 documentary, Tiger Eye and Anas have exclusively retained the legal representation of CromwellGray LLP, situated in Cantonments, Accra. 

“CromwellGray LLP has consistently acted as legal counsel for Anas in matters relating to litigation initiated by or against journalistic publications involving Anas.

“Tiger Eye P.I. unequivocally asserts that any purported criminal arrangement between Mr. Nyantakyi and any alleged lawyer remains solely between Mr. Nyantakyi and the purported recipient. 

“Tiger Eye P.I. firmly denies any involvement or knowledge of such activities. Should Mr. Nyantakyi’s claims hold substance, we challenge him to pursue legal action against Lawyer Kwame Gyan, including lodging a petition with the General Legal Council, to substantiate his allegations.”

But the ace media practitioner will be disguised in a mask.

Mr Nyantakyi will, however, have the opportunity to see his face in chambers before such testimony.

This ruling was delivered by the court following an application by lawyers for Mr Nyantakyi.

They had asked the court to grant them an opportunity to to see the real face of Anas Aremeyaw Anas in camera.

This is in the criminal trial of the former football administrator arising from the Number 12 documentary which exposed corruption in Ghana football.

The court in its ruling noted that it is in the interest of justice that where the liberty of a citizen is at stake that such a person is given the needed facilities to defend themselves.

It noted that Anas is a principal witness in the determination of the case. His identity it, thus, pointed out becomes crucial to allow the accused to identify him and to be able to defend himself.

The court said Anas has been seen in public addressing the media while wearing his bead masks and this shows that he is comfortable appearing in public while disguising himself. It, therefore, issued the following orders on how the case should proceed.

“Investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas will testify against Former GFA President Kwasi Nyantakyi in open court but disguised in a mask

Mr Nyantakyi will, however, have the opportunity to see his face in chambers before such testimony.

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According to her, the investigative journalist deceived the populace and needs to answer some serious questions from the video he aired at the Accra International Conference Center AICC.

To her, the name Galamsey suggested illegal mining activities were the subject of the video but that was not the case.

She also questioned why the video was recorded in February 2018 but released in November 2022, more than 4 years later.

“I was looking for the definitive exposé that will stop the speculation and leave the authorities with no choice but to move decisively on the problem. It turns out I was wrong and the person that was in the crosshairs of the Anas treatment this time was Charles Adu Boahen, Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance. It is not clear if our intrepid underground investigator was playing on the nickname, GALANSEY” she noted in an opinion piece titled ‘four years of unexplained silence – latest Anas video’.

She added, “A number of queasy things emerge from the accounts of this video, not sure if it qualifies as a documentary, but that is another story. I believe Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his team owe us some explanations. If, as it turns out, this incident with Charles Adu Boahen was filmed back in 2018, why have they kept it under wraps all this while and why have they chosen this time, November 2022, almost five years later, to release it? If, in their judgement, they saw what transpired in that hotel room in the United Arab Emirates as so reprehensible, why have they kept it for almost five years?”.

Read the full piece below:

I have not seen the latest Anas video, dubbed Galamsey Economy. I am following the stories surrounding the video and I acknowledge that many of us had been sent off track when the first announcement of the approach of the video was made.

I did, like many other people, think that this was going to be a documentary on illegal mining and the devastation being wrought on our lands and water bodies.

Yes, I was holding my breath to find out the big names that were behind the galamsey phenomenon, the names that people hint at, but do not ever disclose.

I was looking for the definitive exposé that will stop the speculation and leave the authorities with no choice but to move decisively on the problem.

It turns out I was wrong and the person that was in the crosshairs of the Anas treatment this time was Charles Adu Boahen, Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance.

It is not clear if our intrepid underground investigator was playing on the nickname, GALANSEY, that Mr Adu Boahen has been known and called by his mates since his childhood days.

I have read the report of an unnamed person who went to the first show, I had also read the writeup in the Crusading Guide by Anas himself trailing the documentary.

Account

Please allow me to reproduce here, the account being circulated on “WhatsApp” of someone who went to watch the first show.

• The documentary lasted for about 45mins or 50mins thereabouts (other people are putting it at 30 minutes).

• About 75 per cent of the time was unrelated to the subject. It captured Akufo-Addo from candidate to Prez and his promises. Additionally, they recapped the Nyantekyi and Charles Bissue story (Kwesi Nyantekyi, we would all remember was the GFA President who was undone by an Anas documentary along similar lines like the current one of fake Sheikhs and dollars in hotel rooms and brought Ghana football into turmoil for years, the ensuing case is in court).

• The event on Adu Boahen focused only on him and no other person was shown in the video (the writeup in the Crusading Guide trailing the video, notwithstanding.)

• Some money was given to him for shopping and he took it.

• People were anxious to watch the documentary so Ghanaians came in their numbers leading to long queues formed outside the auditorium.

• In the end people were angry at the organisers because the documentary was over-hyped.

Queasy things

A number of queasy things emerge from the accounts of this video, not sure if it qualifies as a documentary, but that is another story.

I believe Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his team owe us some explanations.

If, as it turns out, this incident with Charles Adu Boahen was filmed back in 2018, why have they kept it under wraps all this while and why have they chosen this time, November 2022, almost five years later, to release it?

If, in their judgement, they saw what transpired in that hotel room in the United Arab Emirates as so reprehensible, why have they kept it for almost five years?

They have looked on while Charles Adu Boahen served a full term as Deputy Minister of Finance in the first Akufo-Addo government.

They looked on while Charles Adu Boahen was nominated by the re-elected President Akufo-Addo as a Minister of State and vetted by Parliament and sworn into office.

They have looked on as Charles Adu Boahen has performed his duties as Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance.

In the intervening four plus years, one must wonder what they were doing with their film and what relationship, if any, they had with the Minister of State.

Hello, Mr Adu Boahen, good morning, just calling to check up on you and to make sure you remember your encounter with the Sheikhs in the hotel room.

Hello, Mr Adu Boahen, good evening, we saw a picture of you today with a high-powered delegation from some foreign country talking high finance and we just remembered your encounter with the Sheikhs in the hotel room in the Emirates.

Hello Mr Adu Boahen, good afternoon, we do hope you are having a good day, you are on the radio speaking about the government’s plans for the next five years and we thought you might want to remember your encounter with the Sheikhs in the hotel room.

Hello Mr Adu Boahen, long time, we are doing a clear-out of the closets in our offices and we came across some old canned films and we were wondering if you still remembered your encounter with the Sheikhs in the hotel room so long ago.

Explanations

We deserve some explanations, just so our minds don’t wonder.

Nobody is ever likely to emerge smelling roses when associated with dollars in black plastic bags and once there is a scene captured on camera of the then deputy minister stuffing monies into a plastic bag, it was fair to conclude his fate was sealed.

In spite of the fact that he said in the course of his unnecessary premature counting of dividends that he believes in working for his money, that stuffed plastic bag paints a picture of greed.

It is not disclosed in the video how much there was of the dollars given to him as shopping money and he must have cursed himself a thousand times since that day he didn’t turn down the offer.

Surely, he didn’t need that money and he could have done without whatever shopping he did that day, but I suppose we can all think of some things we would have done differently and we are just lucky our moments were not captured by hidden cameras.

Some have made the point that it would have been culturally unacceptable to turn down “shopping money” offered by millionaire Sheikhs in the Emirates. Maybe we should all not be so concerned about upsetting the cultural sensibilities of unknown rich people.

As far as the parts in the video in which the Vice-President was the subject are concerned, I am going to stick to the then Deputy Finance Minister saying: the Vice-President is not really like that. I am also mindful of the fact that we were taught to resist what lawyers call leading questions when conducting interviews.

Tiger Eye says this was a documentary aimed at exposing those making Ghana unattractive for investors and cut deals at the expense of the state.

If indeed, they had managed to “penetrate the modus operandi” of these people and had then kept silent for almost five years, they must be almost guilty of collusion. We need some answers.

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According to Mr Mahama, his government was always aware of all Anas’ works and either supported or called for action after the expose’.

“We had investigations like the ones at the port, the judges and others which late Prof Mills was involved and played a role,” he said.

Speaking in an interview on Accra-based Class FM, monitored by Adomonline.com, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer pointed out that he was not aware of any parliamentary probe.

“We have to ask Anas of his investigations. I’m not aware of the investigations he did on parliament neither did I suppress any work,” he noted.

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This comes on the back of claims that Mr Mahama in 2015 suppressed a documentary that exposed ills in Ghana’s parliament.

Former Attorney General, Martin Amidu, at the time noted late Prof John Mills commissioned a two-pronged investigation; involving both the judiciary and the legislature.

“Unfortunately, Prof Mills died before his commission could be fulfilled and his successor, John Dramani Mahama, has chosen to use the results selectively and to suppress other results, particularly the parliamentary one whose video is ready,” part of an article sighted on Graphic online noted.

They were suspended for selling Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Ridge believes though the items do not belong to the hospital and do not also constitute the hospital’s COVID-19 stock, either donated or procured, their action constitute a breach of the Ghana Health Service Code of Conduct.

In a press statement issued to that effect, the hospital said it does not encourage such behaviours since it may adversely affect their output and also be misconstrued by the public as items of the facility.

Thomas Osei, a Medicine Counter Assistant will be serving two weeks suspension without salary for inappropriate and unauthorised sale of PPE on the hospital premises.

Also, Divine Kumordzi would refund all monies realised with regards to unauthorised and inappropriate sale of face masks on the hospital premises. He is also serving a two-week suspension without salary.

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Management says it stopped the practice immediately it came to its attention and ordered an auditing of the stock of PPEs before arriving at its conclusion.

The prescribed sanction is in line with the provisions of the Ghana Health Service Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures.

“We want to use this opportunity to assure our stakeholders that all donations and items procured which are routed through the Hospital’s Main Stores managed by a Senior Supply Manager and Head of Stores and supervised by Head of Administration are all intact,” it said.

Ridge Hospital is using the medium to send a strong warning to staff who will violate rules and regulations governing the hospital.

The judgement by the court nullifies the decision by the Chief Justice to withhold the retirement benefits of Justice Kwame Ohene-Essel (Rtd) until the final determination of the impeachment process against him.

Justice Ohene-Essel was granted his benefits after the apex court held that he was not impeached, neither did the Chief Justice set up any committee to conduct impeachment proceedings against him as of the time he retired as a judge.

Again, the court held that the failure by the Chief Justice to set up a committee to commence impeachment proceedings against Justice Ohene-Essel before he went on retirement meant he could not be impeached because such a constitutional process did not apply to judges on retirement.

“An impeachment proceedings cannot be commenced in respect of a retired Judge. After all, if the process is completed, and the recommendation is for removal from office, from where will he be removed from and to what effect?” the court held.

Alleged corruption

Justice Ohene-Essel was a High Court judge at Tarkwa in the Western Region and was one of the over 100 judges and judicial staff who were allegedly implicated in the expose’ by Anas and his TIGEREYEPI investigative team which shook the foundations of the judiciary.

No impeachment

In its unanimous decision, the seven-member panel of the Supreme Court established that following a petition for the removal of Justice Ohene-Essel, the then Acting President John Dramani Mahama referred the matter to the Chief Justice and on September 30, 2015, the Chief Justice made a prima facie case against Justice Ohene-Essel per Article 146 (3) of the 1992 Constitution

The court, however, held that as at the time Justice Ohene-Essel attained the age of 65 and compulsorily retired on August 23, 2017, no committee had been set up by the Chief Justice to investigate the allegations levelled against him and to make recommendations as to whether or not he should be removed from office as a judge per Article 146 (5) of the 1992 Constitution.

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He was allegedly captured on video taking GH¢1,000 as a bribe which was allegedly handed over to him by his court clerk in his residence.

The non-activation of Article 146 (5) was what made the apex court to hold that Justice Ohene-Essel was “entitled to all the pension and gratuity benefits as provided for under Article 155 (1) (b) of the Constitution 1992.”

According to the court, it was the activation of Article 146 (5) of the 1992 Constitution which would commence “actual investigations into the petition” and also allow Justice Ohene-Essel the opportunity to defend himself by presenting evidence and also cross-examine his accusers in line with his rights to fair trial as guaranteed by Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution.

The unanimous decision of the court was delivered by Justice Jones Dotse, who presided over the panel which had Justices Gabriel Pwamang, Samuel Marful-Sau, Agnes Dordzie, Nene Amegatcher, Professor Nii Ashie Kotey and Mariama Owusu as members.

“We answer that the applicant is entitled to all the pension and gratuity benefits as provided for under Article 155 (1) (b) of the Constitution 1992.”

What the constitution says

Article 146 (3) of the 1992 Constitution states that: “if the President receives a petition for the removal of a Justice of the Superior Court other than the Chief Justice or for the removal of the Chairman of a Regional Tribunal, he shall refer the petition to the Chief Justice, who shall determine whether there is a prima facie case.”

In case, the Chief Justice makes a prima facie determination, Article 146 (4) empowers the Chief Justice to establish a committee of five consisting of three Justices of the Superior Courts and two others who “are not members of the Council of State, nor members of Parliament, nor lawyers.”

Article 146 (5) stipulates that “the Committee appointed under clause (4) of this article shall investigate the complaint and shall make its recommendations to the Chief Justice who shall forward it to the President.”

Per Article 146 (9), “the President shall act in accordance with the recommendations of the committee.”

Reference

On August 14, 2017, a Deputy Judicial Secretary ,acting on the instructions of the Chief Justice, wrote to Justice Ohene-Essel about his impending retirement on August 23, 2017, and subsequently directed the judge to hand over all properties of the Judicial Service in his possession.

“You are to take note that in view of the impeachment proceedings against you, the processing of your retirement benefits will be withheld until the determination of the matter,” the letter stated.

In response, Justice Ohene-Essel, on November 22, 2017, filed a judicial review application against the Chief Justice at the High Court urging the court to quash the letter withholding his retirement benefits and further asked the court to order the Head of Pensions to pay all his benefits.

In line with the constitution and also to resolve the case, the High Court judge, Justice Gifty Agyei-Addo, made a constitutional reference to the Supreme Court.

The reference was “whether or not upon a true and proper interpretation and or construction of Article 146 (3) and (5), the Applicant can be permitted to enjoy his rights under Article 155 (1) (b) of the 1992 Constitution upon his retirement by reason of age, when by reason of he exercising his constitutional right to challenge the prima facie case in court, proceedings under Article 146 (5) of the 1992 Constitution could not be completed by the Respondent.”

On June 24, 2020, the Supreme Court answered the reference in the affirmative and subsequently held that Justice Ohene-Essel was indeed entitled to his retirement benefits.

During the hearing of the case at the Supreme Court, lawyers from the Attorney-General Department, who represented the Chief Justice, argued that the Chief Justice did not drag his feet during the impeachment process, but rather it was a suit filed by Justice Ohene-Essel at the High Court on January 14, 2016, challenging his impeachment, that stalled the process.

The Supreme Court, however, dismissed that argument and held that the suit by Justice Ohene-Essel did not halt the impeachment process as he did not file for an injunction against the process.

“The applicant at no point in time filed any process to injunct or prohibit the respondents from pursuing the impeachment against him,” the court held.

Also, it was the considered view of the court that state attorneys could have taken steps to even have the suit struck out as Justice Ohene-Essel did not adhere to some procedures stipulated by the rules of court.

The latest undercover work, which was premiered on TV3 on Monday, June 29, exposes quack doctors who sold herbal medicine said to cure the novel coronavirus to unsuspecting members of the public.

Before the premiere on the piece titled ‘Corona Quacks’, many were expectant another high-ranking public official will be exposed.

But same appeared disappointed since the work did not cite any public officer.

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But in an exclusive interview on TV3’s News @10 on Monday, Anas told host Martin Asiedu-Dartey that the piece is not unusual of him.

“I presume people want to say that bring down the politician,” he observed.

“But if you go into history, you’ll realise that these are stories I do.”

He further explained that he owes it an utmost duty to the general public to expose issues affecting members rather than to pursue any individual or group’s parochial interest.

“You are telling me to forget everything about the pandemic and because you have political interest and you want to see a politician fall.

“I should just follow my instincts when my grandmother is thinking of how to cure herself of the pandemic; when things that are supposed to be for the general public are being stolen by certain people.

“Is it somebody’s parochial interest of assassinating or bringing someone down or what will serve the general public and put us in good light?” he quizzed.

Anas Aremeyaw Anas indicated that he is motivated by what the generality of the people is concerned about.

For that matter, he explained, he took keen interest in the coronavirus pandemic particularly when he was unable to travel outside the country as a result of the closure of Ghana’s borders.

“We were all in a statement of panic especially when you have a pandemic you don’t have a cure for and years of experience tell me that this is how criminals thrive. They look at a situation and take advantage of it.

“So I knew definitely that you were going to find people who were [in this].”

He has promised that a sequel to this new investigative documentary will be released in a fortnight.

The new project exposed some persons who posed as doctors in Ghana and other countries to extort monies from people.

These persons in the video sold drugs they claimed could cure the novel virus which has brought the world on its knees.

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The over 27-minutes-video sighted on YouTube is Mr Anas’ work in collaboration with BBC Africa Eye.

Watch the video below:

Two years since Tiger Eye PI premiered videos that showed officials of Ghana Football Association (GFA) in compromising positions.

Two years since the world was let into the behind-the-scenes activities of the Ghana FA officials. And, three months, two days since Attorney General charged former GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi for conspiracy to commit crime namely fraud by an agent contrary to sections 23(1) and 145(1)(a) of the criminal offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

He has also been charged with corruption by a public officer contrary to section 239(1) of the Criminal offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

The former FIFA Executive Council member and Abdulai Alhassan, the GFA Executive Council member who Tiger Eye PI contacted all pleaded not guilty to the charges at Criminal Court 4 of the Accra High Court.

Two subsequent appearances have yielded no sitting on the case.

On March 25, 2020 the prosecutor, Mrs Victoria Asieduaa, a principal State Attorney, pleaded with Justice Comfort Kwasiwor Tasiame, the judge sitting on the case for two weeks to “gather facts” on the matter.

The judge adjourned hearing to April 28, because the two weeks window upon calculation, would have been within the Easter period.

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On April 28, there was no sitting on the day because of COVID-19, though Mr Nyantakyi and his lawyers were in court. They were, however, told sitting had been scheduled for May 11.

However, before May 11, a letter from the Attorney General signed by the principal state attorney three days earlier, May 8, requested for a ‘long adjournment’ after consultation with lawyers of the accused persons.

Other key details

In the court documents related to the case, meetings held in Ghana were not captured in the transcriptions, but only those that transpired in Dubai were, Joy Sports gathered.

These meetings were on October 7 and 12, 2017 respectively.

Mr Nyantakyi is described as A1 (first accused), whilst Abdulai Alhassan has been named A2 (second accused). Pages of the document have been numbered from B1 to B213.

It would be recalled that Mr Nyantakyi in his statement after the exposé revealed that the $65,000 bribe he is accused of taking was actually a $40,000 refund for his flight tickets for the said Dubai meetings.

Tiger Eye PI discredited his claims, but only published invoices, rather than receipts, as evidence of tickets purchased for the accused persons.

In the particular case of Mr Alhassan, former Northen Regional Football Association Chairman, Tiger Eye PI published a flight itinerary for the trips.

As part of the court documentation, Tiger Eye PI provided no receipts or travel itineraries for Mr Nyantakyi – this appears to corroborate the claim of Mr Nyantakyi.

In the transcription of the conversation between Mr Nyantakyi and the late Ahmed Hussein Suale, which took place at Taj Hotel in Dubai on 7th October, 2017, and is captured on pages B27, B28, B29, and B30, it is suggested that Tiger Eye Pi and the late Suale, who spearheaded the investigations, did not know the flight schedules of Mr Nyantakyi to and from Dubai.

On page B29 as sighted by Joy Sports, the conversation is transcribed as follows:

Tiger Eye: Oh yes it’s time. And in fact (it’s) because I didn’t know your flight arrangements otherwise I could have also communicated same. Maybe, he could have wait [sic] here no matter what the situation. I’m sure he would have waited to have this meeting before he leave [sic].

On page B27, the conversation is captured as follows:

Nyantakyi: The Minister would be there but I’ll leave tomorrow morning.

Tiger: Tomorrow morning?

Nyantakyi: My flight is 9:30.

Tiger: And then…?

Nyantakyi : By 7:30 I should be at the airport.

Tiger: Ehh?

Joy Sports understands, per the facts assembled, the actual meeting for the first meeting did not take place.

Mr Nyantakyi, a former CAF First Vice President, was told Skeikh Al-Thani (who he had made to believe he was to meet in Dubai for meetings) had a flu. The meeting was postponed indefinitely.

Checks revealed that, a second meeting took place in Dubai on 12th October 2017 following a request from Tiger Eye PI.

Mr Nyantakyi arrived in Dubai around 3am on board an Egyptair flight from Cairo and was met on arrival by Alhassan and Suale.

Two meetings were held on this day: one at the Al-Ghurair Hotel, where a conversation on sponsorship of the GFA and investment opportunities in Ghana ensued. This meeting had only Mr Nyantakyi, late Suale, Alhassan and one Mohammed, reportedly a friend of late Suale.

After this meeting, they proceeded to Jood Palace Hotel where Sheikh Al-Thani was present. The meeting lasted thirty minutes.

During this meeting, conversations on potential sponsorship agreements were discussed. Ahmed Suale acted as the Sheikh’s interpreter.

Two years after the video aired and shook the nation, the courts are still not closer to a decision now than at when they began hearings. Joy Sports will continue following proceedings.

His apology follows defamatory comments he made against the duo when Anas’ Tiger Eye PI lifted the veil off certain untoward practices around the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Following the release of the documentary, Mr Ekow made several allegations against Mr Baako and his protege, Anas, allegations he has since submitted to the High Court that he had no evidence to back.

In other words, Mr Ewusi has submitted that the comments he made about Mr Baako and Anas were lies.

In a retraction and apology published in the Daily graphic newspaper, Mr Ewusi said, “on the 1^st day of March, 2019, 1 caused to be published and made several statements on Adom TV’s, “Badwam” programme hosted by Omanhene Kwabena Asante against Mr. Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr which are defamatory.”

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“That in discussing issues surrounding illegal mining, I uttered words to the effect that that Mr. Abdul Malik Kweku  Baako Jnr and Anas Aremeyaw Anas together with Aleska C & G and Heritage mining were involved in “galamey” activities destroying Ghana’s forest.”

“I further stated that Mr. Kweku Baako came to plead on behalf of Aleska C & G and Heritage Mining to Professor Frimpong Boateng and attempted to bribe Charles Bissiw and Professor Frimpong Boateng on two occasions first with two hundred thousand dollars and later upped it to two million dollars.”

“The said allegations are false and same should not have been made on the progamme. In this regard, the comments made are incorrect and most regrettable.”

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“I, Horace Ekow Ewusi, do hereby apologize and unconditionally and unreservedly retract the allegations and comments made against Mr. Abdul Malik Kweku Baako and his associates during the discussions on the aforementioned television programme.”

“I finally, undertake not to further publish or reproduce the said allegations.”

Mr Ewusi pleaded for an out for court settlement and do the needful as he cannot afford the 25 million Ghana cedis the plaintiff (Kweku Baako) was demanding as damages.

The impressions were put online by the Anas Coalition in a Facebook post.

Today marks exactly a year after the killing of Ahmed Suale, one of Anas Amereyaw Anas’ Tiger Eye investigators by assailants who police has so far failed to arrest.

The assailants who witnesses say were on a motorbike shot and killed the journalist while he was driving home in January.

His death came barely six (6) months after Tiger Eye premiered a documentary about corruption in football dubbed, Number 12.

The Coalition, in the post, pleaded with persons with information on the individuals who may have information on the suspects to volunteer such information to the security services.

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Read full post below:

For six months, Anas and his team who posed as drivers monitored the activities of the guards from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) who engaged in cases of abuse of power and allegedly took bribes from hawkers and drivers who did not have permit.

Anas Aremeyaw Anas reports Makola market Accra, Ghana 

It was meant to maintain order and make our metropolis, our malls and massive markets more civil and modern. However, by their mercenary manners and dubious modus operandi, the men mandated by the Metropolitan authorities to make the measures work, have rather made things matchlessly murkier and life more meaningless for many a motorist, merchant and major patrons of our many mushrooming markets.

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) rolled out a very laudable initiative, “Sustainable Smart City” among others to rid the Accra city of chaos, congestions and inordinate buildings and filth by hawkers, traders and other people as one of the means of cleaning up Accra and needed everyone’s effort. 

Already existing institutions were enhanced with vehicles and other tools while new reforms such as the Sanitation Metro Guards were instituted to see to the success of the initiative. 

Personnel, City Guard (Abayee) and Sanitation Metro Guards (Asamanasaman), mandated to see to the successful realisation of the Assembly’s initiatives, have been rather using their power and mandate to extort money and gifts from people who break the assembly’s bye-laws instead of helping to bring them to book. As a result, the nemesis we claim to be fighting, keep staring us in the face all the time.

The City Guards (Abayee) mandated to rid the city of people selling and putting up structures at unauthorised places such as the streets and pedestrian pavements, were on several occasions caught taking money from the very people they are to police to allow shield them to go about their illegal activities. 

There were instances where the Abayee would seize goods from hawkers and ask them to meet them at the place where they wrap up their daily activities, usually, opposite Kinbu, for negotiation and payment in order to retrieve their seized goods.

Tiger posing as a hawker selling slippers in a wheelbarrow had his wheelbarrow and goods seized on several occasions. On one of the occasions, the Abayee that seized the Tiger’s goods demanded more than the GHS 5 they often collected from owners of seized goods. The guard eventually took Tiger’s GHS 5 and an extra GHS 10 from another coconut seller and returned their goods to them to go about their activities. 

On another occasion, another Abayee, after seizing Tiger’s wheelbarrow and collecting GHS 5 from Tiger, released his goods and allowed him to freely sell in the street with a caution not to get caught by other guards. 

There was also an incident where an Abayee seized items from a Nigerian hawker at Tudu claiming that he was selling at an authorised place despite repeated warnings to the hawkers. This Abayee later takes GHS 10 from the Nigerian and another GHS 5 from Tiger, in the presence of some of their leaders after which the seized goods were released.

The negotiation to retrieve seized goods could also involve the affected hawker parting with some of the seized goods to the Abayee. 

Those who are unable to pay either in cash or with some of their goods get their items transferred into much spacious operation vehicles and transported to the AMA office near Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.

In some situations, Tiger also posed as a customer or relative to some of these hawkers and negotiated with the Abayee on their behalf for payment of between GHS 10 and GHS 40 to be made to the Abayee and the goods of the hawkers released for them to continue their hawking without further interruptions.

On one of such occasion, the Abayee, who were undertaking their usual goods-seizing expedition, came upon some hawkers selling at unauthorized places. With the hawkers defying the Abayee, the latter only asked the offending hawkers to choose whether they should seize some of the goods and leave the others. The Abayee refused the bribes given them not to seize the goods being sold at the unauthorised  spots. They would not budge even when Tiger tried to intervene, rather asking him to come over to Kinbu where they send all the seized goods and where wrap up their daily activities. 

At Kinbu, they demanded GHS 50 from one of the hawkers who said she could give only GHS 5 because she had made just GHS 10 sales all day from which she also had to take her lorry fare. Tiger then negotiated on behalf of this hawker with one of the leaders of the Abayee group who later demanded for GHS 20 to release. Eventually, he accepted GHS 15, withy Tiger topping up the GHS 10 the GHS 5 the lady was offering. The goods were then returned to them to go and sell again.

In a related development, a hawker accosted by another City Guard offered to give the City Guard GHS 5 as he had sold nothing and always gave that particular City Guard money. Although the City Guard confirmed the claims of the hawker that he has been giving him money, the Guard demanded GHS 50 from his “old friend”.

Tiger, posing as a relative of the hawker, decided to add an extra GHS 5 to the hawker’s offer it GHS 10, but the City Guard, who had reduced demand to GHS 30, stood his grounds. He asked the hawker to either pay the GHS 30 or go to their office and pay there as he claimed the hawker knows they won’t accept the GHS 10 at their office. He later agreed and took the GHS 10 from Tiger upon persistent pleadings.

Another instance, Abayee also took GHS 20 from Tiger to release a hawker’s seized goods to her after initially demanding for GHS 30.
A pregnant trader also had her 9 dummies in which he had placed in front of a shop seized by these City Guards who asked her to follow their moving operation vehicle to their parking spot to sort it her issue. The trader however said she could not do so due to her condition. They then asked to go with her brother (Tiger had posed as such), and they later took GHS 20 from her at Kinbu before releasing to her the dummies.  Did she go? Or Tiger went?

There was also an instance where a coconut seller who had had two of his coconuts consumed without been paid by the Abayeewho also asked the seller to “pay something”  to avoid having his coconut being seized.  The beleaguered seller told Tiger that the Abayee guys usually took money from him on Saturdays and on that particular day they took GHS 10 and two coconuts from him.

He explained that he doesn’t resist , as by doing so, he’s allowed to go about his work with no disturbances from the Abayee. According to him, they sometimes take the money when he’s going home and mentions one Asafoatse as the main culprit. He also said he sometimes don’t give them the money especially when he’s not sold much of the coconut.

There was also an instance where an Abayee furiously threatens to beat the hawker for throwing away a ticket they gave to him as a daily routine in the business center which he, the Abayee, sees to be disrespect. Another Abayee explained to Tiger that every hawker or trader needs to get a ticket everyday and license to sell in the streets. This was after a hawker was asked to pay for his ticket fee for the whole week by the Abayee and that of his license as he always dodges when they meet him and ask him to produce his ticket and license. The hawker then pays them GHS 5 as they requested and he also paid for the so-called license but nothing was given to him but rather released his seized goods to him to continue selling in the street.

Also, a perfume hawker had his goods and warned by the Abayee who detained him they would go with his goods if he doesn’t give him, the Abayee, the requested money before they decide to leave. The hawker fearing for his goods gives the Abayee a GHS 10 sale he’s made the whole day and was asked to leave before the Abayee operation vehicle arrives.

Again an Abayee was filmed demanding and taking GHS 2 after some time of pleading and convincing from some cassava sellers on the street who claim another Abayee called Red had already come to take money from them and asked them to stay and sell there as the Abayee won’t be working that day. He takes them.

Hawkers encouraged to sell on streets and pavements by Abayee

The statement that by the PRO of the AMA, Nii Ankrah, that said the AMA’s “Sustainable Smart City” initiative was to enhance free movement at the Central Business District (CBD), and free the city from the chaos, congestions and inordinate buildings might have been misunderstood by the City Guards deployed for the course.

This is because City Guards, mandated to ensure that the streets, pedestrian pavements and any unauthorised place for marketing are cleared for easy passage of vehicles and humans as well as enhance cleanliness in the city, rather aided them to sell on the streets as in their presence, hawkers display their goods for sale in the streets, on pedestrian pavements and unauthorised place with no prohibition from the City Guards. 

They, the City Guards, even sometimes help the hawkers display their goods on the pavement, helps them sell the wares, sits and chats with them when they are supposed to clear them from the place and helps them pack their goods in the evening for money and gifts as some of them, the City Guards, claim they hate harassing the hawkers, hence, whatever they ask grow them must be given for their, the hawkers, freedom. 

This sometimes results in an argument among the City Guards as some of them don’t approve of this practice by their colleagues. 
In some instances, the leaders of the City Guards even ordered the hawkers to just clear a pile of rubbish so they can go on selling in the streets and on the pavement while goods of other hawkers in the streets and on pavements are being seized some few meters away.

At Kantamanto, an Abayee has been mandated to collect GHS 10 from each street trader/hawker every Saturday as their contribution to be given to Nat, the leader of the Abayee group at the place to prevent their goods from being seized or they the hawkers been harassed.

A hawker was also filmed taking money contributions from fellow hawkers under the authority of one of the Abayee leaders at the place (Kinbu) to be given to the Abayee and their leaders to prevent their goods been seized and harassments according to the hawkers. Hawkers further discuss who does the authorization for the collection of the money and the fact that there’s always chaos after collection of the money as all the top men want to be given the money

One of the Abayee later came to take GHS 2 from Tiger as her contribution while a hawker, who the Abayee took GHS 5 from her child rained insults on her child because she asked the child to give the Abayee only GHS 2 as their money contribution. The hawker then asked the child to go for a change from the Abayeewhich the other hawkers advised against as they said it would make the Abayee hate the child and harass her all the time.

Hawkers quarrel among themselves over money contribution for the Abayee

Hawkers and traders, in order to freely sell in the streets and on the unauthorised pavements, contribute between GHS 2 and GHS 10 daily to the leaders of the various Abayee groups to prevent being harassed or their goods seized by the Abayee. 

These money contributions on various occasions result in quarrels between hawkers as some hawkers refuse to subscribe to such contribution which infuriates those who do explaining that they cannot pay the Abayee for others to enjoy the freedom while they all are money from the place. 

Other times too, the Abayee leaders quarrel among themselves over the sharing of the money extorted from the hawkers.

Abuse of hawkers and destruction of their goods by Abayee

The PRO of the AMA, Gilbert Nii Ankrah, said in the statement made in February 2019 that the Assembly, in its agenda of transforming and developing the city through the “Sustainable Smart City” project, would ensure that the city is free from the chaos, congestions and inordinate buildings. He explained that this objective would be achieved via a decongestion exercise to be undertaken with a human face to reduce the incidence of altercation with the city guards, which sometimes leads to the destruction of traders’ goods.

Contrary to this, Abayee guys were filmed seizing and destroying properties of hawkers in their quest to clear them off the street amidst threats to resisting hawkers. There were instances where the Abayee had a nasty clash with a shop owneras the Abayee tried to stop the shop owner from opening his shop on a day set aside for cleaning, with the shop owner also claiming the cleaning was over. 

Some Abayee guys physically harass and threaten hawkers for not heeding to their call, often leading to clashes with street hawkers who think they were not fairly dealt with.  The Abayeetake money from some hawkers in return for favours during their operations while they seize the goods of others who fail to dish out the money, sometimes, manhandling them physically. At a point some hawkers, who had had enough of the harassment, hooted at the Abayee and even declared war should the Abayee touch them physically.

Abayee stealing and forcibly taking items from hawkers

There was also an instance where a hawker wept like a child after an Abayee stole his goods in the course of seizing goods from illegal hawkers around TUDU. The plight of the hawker eventually touched the heart of other Abayees around who consoled him and assured him of their help to get the items back, which they did. 

Another Abayee was also filmed trying to forcibly take some footwear from a hawker who resisted stoutly. The Abayee then threatened to deal with him next time. 

Bias decongestion

There is also the issue of bias in the decongestion operations of the Abayee as they seize goods of some hawkers and leave that of others even though they’ll be at the same place and time especially where some hawkers are known to be customers who always either contribute money for them or pay them in kind. 

Taking money for wrongful parking

An Abayee was also filmed taking money from a Lebanese accosted for parking at the wrong place and freed him with the Lebanese throwing tantrums and threatening to kill the Abayeefor wrongfully taking money from him. The Abayee had threatened that the car would be towed to the office for formal charges to be brought against the owner, forcing the Lebanese to part with the GH 100 demanded. As the car owner dished out the money, Nat burst out laughing with glee. 

Statement by the AMA on the street and pavement hawking and the Abayee activities

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mr Gilbert Nii Ankrah, in February 2019 said in an interview in Accra that the AMA, has embarked on a transformational development agenda dubbed “Sustainable Smart City” that would ensure that the city is free from the chaos, congestions and inordinate buildings. 

The PRO, who assured hawkers and traders in the business center that the project which would involve decongestion exercise to free movement at the business center Business as part of the smart city project would be undertaken with a human face to reduce the incidence of altercation with the city guards, which sometimes leads to the destruction of trader’s goods. 

“The AMA Chief Executive believes that the informal sector contributes a lot to the economy and for him to clear them without proper planned activities, will deprive them one way or the other of their livelihood.” 
 
“Traders in the first place have invaded an unauthorized zone for their economic activities, and in the process, depriving lawful usage of the facilities and infringing on the rights of pedestrians to use the pavements.

“So, in most of these areas, we have re-demarcated zones for trading along the pavements. The whole process of moving traders off the pavement is to make way for pedestrians to use it, as they have been forced to compete for space with vehicles on the roads.” he added. 

Mr Gilbert Ankrah further stated that the AMA currently has a Pedestrian Action Plan, all geared towards road safety, because “when you deprive pedestrians of the pavements, then they are forced to come back on the streets with its associated risks”. 

“We must, therefore, create a safe environment for all to operate; the traders must move back to the markets and other demarcated areas for trading. Unlawful behaviours must be checked. Lawlessness in our cities must end.” 

“Accra has been planned to accommodate both traders and consumers, if you need foodstuffs, its better you go to most of the major markets, if you need spare parts you go to AbosseyOkai, if you need electrical products, go to Opera. 

“So let’s move away from the old paradigm that people won’t come to buy from us if we move to the market. There are specialised markets, consumers hop from market to another or shop to shop to purchase.”

He pointed out that going by the road traffic regulation, it was an offence to put anything on the pavement to impede the free movement of pedestrians. 

Mr Ankrah, however, assured the public that the current decongestion exercise under the Sustainability Plan would ensure that city guards are available to assist pedestrians, traders, and customers move through the transition period of the exercise. 

He said under the sustainability plan, the AMA would approach the decongestion exercise through a multi-sectorial collaboration, “we are going to see to it that everybody comes on board to ensure that this exercise is effective.” 

“It is a call to all institutions to come on board. We need all stakeholders to play their roles as we also play our part in promoting interoperability.

The NiBs Innovation Awards seeks to recognise individuals and organisations that contribute in significant, sustainable and innovative ways, towards the forward march of Ghanaian industry.

The event, organised at the Kempinski Hotel assembled captains of industry, civil society leaders and distinguished individuals who in diverse ways contribute to the overall progress of our country.

Speaking to the press after receiving the award, Mr Anas Aremeyaw Anas expressed gratitude for the recognition, and reiterated his commitment towards the fight against corruption, and to stay true to his mission of naming, shaming and (helping) jail the bad guys in society.

The next day, November 23, at the 70th anniversary Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards under the patronage of HE Dr Bawumia, Vice President of Ghana, held at the Kempinski Hotel, Mr Anas Aremeyaw Anas was again recognised for his outstanding contribution to the development of journalism in Ghana and beyond. Commenting on his award, Mr Anas Aremeyaw Anas paid glowing tribute to his forebearers;Kwaku Sakyi-Addo, Kwesi Pratt, Komla Dumor, Ben Epson, Kabral Blay Amihere, and particularly Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, through whom he cut his journalistic teeth.

“I can never be greater than him”, Anas said, in reference to his mentor, Kweku Baako.

The public screening of the investigative video four years ago, according to Justice Senyo Dzamefe, has tainted the dignity and value of the judiciary.

“Without mincing words, we have reduced our dignity and value the day we allowed that infamous Anas film to be screened publicly,” he told the chief justice and a gathering of judges and magistrates in Accra.

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Addressing the 39th annual general meeting of the Association of Magistrates and Judges Ghana (AMJG) Wednesday, Justice Dzamefe said, in his view, Ghana’s judiciary is “virtually at the ‘donkomi’ level now”.

Justice Dzamefe who is also the president of the AMJG contended that the judiciary “did not handle that [Anas] situation professionally” and as a result, “shot ourselves in the foot”.

“It is going to take some time to restore our lost dignity,” he said, but noted “all hope is not lost though”.

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Over 100 implicated

Anas Aremeyaw Anas in September 2015 released a video documentary of an investigation which showed more than 100 judicial staff including court clerks and 34 judges at the country’s High Courts, District and Magistrate courts allegedly taking bribes from litigants to compromise justice delivery in cases before them in the various courts.

The three-hour edited video, which is the result of a two-year painstaking investigation into the judiciary by the award winning investigative journalist, triggered a number of law suit against him, his Tiger Eye PI investigation team and other individuals.

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Some of the High Court judges indicted in the corruption quagmire initially filed a motion in a bid to stop the public screening of the video at the Accra International Conference Centre but that failed.

But that was just the beginning of a number of suits to come. Anas was caught in a legal web with some of the judges, including Justice UP Derry and Justice Mustapha Habib Logoh, filed multiple cases from the High Court through the Supreme Court to the ECOWAS court.

At least 25 of the judges implicated in the scandal have since been dismissed from the Judicial Service in accordance with regulation 27 (2) of the Judicial Service Regulation 27 (2) after they were found guilty of stated misconduct.

Source: 3News

Mrs Boateng, Head of the Ministry of Sports Protocol on Tuesday was honoured with the 2019 ‘Nathan Annan Quao’ Integrity Award by CLOGSAG.

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The awards scheme forms part of a neutrality project established and launched by CLOGSAG to sensitise their constituents to give off unblemished service devoid of political colour and nepotism.

The ‘Number 12’ documentary, titled ‘Betraying the Game’ by Anas Aremeyaw Anas investigated football in Africa and sought to highlight the level of corruption in football and among football administrators in Ghana and Africa.

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The documentary also showed three individuals who rejected the bribes that were offered.

They were GFA Executive Committee members Kweku Eyiah and John Frederick Mensah and Chief Protocol Officer at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Diana Boateng.

Source: Adomonline.com

ALSO: Audio: Charles Bissue’s exoneration not surprising – Asiedu Nketia

In a statement issued by the investigative team following a statement by the Criminal Investigations Department which exonerated Mr Bissue, Tiger Eye PI said “Tiger Eye welcomes the decision of the police to remove itself from the investigations because their involvement has been nothing but needlessly duplicitous and superfluous and total waste of resource.

“The police service conducted itself in this matter as an unhappy unsolicited busybody with no real substance to form a decision.”

Below is the full statement from Tiger Eye:

Source: Adomonline.com

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has exonerated Charles Cromwell Nanabanyin Onuawonto Bissue, a Presidential Staffer, who was accused of working against the country’s efforts to end illegal mining.

Lawyer for Mr Bissue, Yaw Oppong, who confirmed this in an interview, said after a thorough investigation by the CID on the matter, his client was cleared of any wrongdoing.

He said Mr Bissue did not circumvent the laid down procedures of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on illegal Mining to favour ORR Resource Enterprise, the company at the centre of the incident.

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He said the report by the CID also observed that the documentary, which was aired, was not a true reflection of what transpired between the Presidential Staffer/Secretary and the said Yaw Ben of ORR Resource Enterprise

“The lead investigator of the Tiger Eye Documentary, Anas Aremeyaw Anas failed to avail himself to assist in investigations and also failed to provide a copy of the unedited version of the documentary. He said he has already filed a petition with the Office of the Special Prosecutor,” the lawyer told Accra based Okay FM, monitored by Adomonline.com.

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The report, he noted, therefore concluded that, Mr Bissue was not found to have committed any offence.

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Source: Adomonline.com|Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy

Dedicated to ensuring decent development and discipline for deprived and destitute children, the Echoing Hill Village has descended into moral decrepitude that defies all description; descended into disheartening and deplorable depths of depravity, destitution and decadence. The hills only echo to the dreary din of debauchery; it’s the very definition of dereliction and desolation!

ALSO: Read judgement: African Court on Human Rights dismisses Woyome case

Death Threat

The General Manager of Echoing Hill Village Orphanage, Rev Lawrence Lamina, was captured in a secret camera attempting to stab one of the children of the orphanage, as caretakers restrain him.

Knife-wielding Rev Lawrence Lamina was seen being held back and at a point pegged down into a chair by some of the caretakers who tried desperately to prevent their boss from carrying out his threat to kill one of the children in his orphanage.

The victim, a little boy identified only as Kuchi, had broken into the home’s store room and stolen a few items, a normal adolescent delinquency which, ironically, the reverend minister/philanthropist considered as a crime punishable by bloody death.

The man of God had overpowered the poor boy by throwing him onto the ground, and stamping on his head repeatedly. Reverend Lamina then crouched over the boy with his foot stamped on his head in the posture a butcher ready to slaughter an animal.

Luckily for the boy, his abuser did not have a knife in hand, and unfortunately for the blood-thirsty reverend minister, his subordinates at the orphanage gathered courage to intervene when he went and armed himself with a kitchen knife.

Amidst the jostling with the staff, Rev Lamina swore to kill the traumatised boy, adding that he could produce evidence of the boy’s offence to defend himself, should that become necessary.

When finally let loose the General Manager, who is also a Reverend Minister at the Hope Community Church, descended on the adolescent and beat him mercilessly. Now, the caretakers held back the victim, advising him not to fight back.

After he had pummelled Kuchi to his satisfaction, he asked the staff to arrange for the boy to leave the home, because he did ever want to set eyes on him. This was after one caretaker had suggested that they detain the boy in the home’s prison and later banish him from the home.

Reverend Lamina: I had to beg and invest money, money I haven’t yet recouped, and you seek to disturb me, why? Do you want to kill me? I’ll kill you first. Do you understand?

Female Caretaker: Let him go if he wants to go else you might be imprisoned should you hurt him out of frustration. Daddy, please, let him go. Let him go with his problems else you might kill someone’s child.

Reverend Lamina: No, no, no. this one is an armed robber

Female Caretaker: If that is the case, then take him to the police station.

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Reverend Lamina: I won’t take him to the police station.

You are going to kill someone, but first, I’ll kill you. You were going to kill. That’s what you were going there to do. This is an evidence.

Male Caretaker: You should have instructed us to lock him in one of the rooms. Let’s lock him up in one of the rooms. Let’s do it that way. Don’t touch him. Let’s punish him. You’ve been there before right?

Reverend Lamina: Who should punish him? I said I don’t want him in this house again.

Female Caretaker: Okay, he leaves this place after he’s been released. He’s bad luck, you might hurt him if you persist.

Inhuman Punishments on Inmates

In a related incident, Reverend Lamina and some of the caretakers were filmed meting out various forms of inhuman punishments on the children. These callous acts included Rev Lamina asking some kids to slap themselves, caretakers hitting children with sticks, knocking kids in the head and detaining children in cells for long hours and sometimes, days.

In the video, the Man of God was seen instructing some kids accused of sodomy to slap each other for the offence. Those that were not able to slap to the Reverend’s satisfaction were taught how to do it properly by Mr Lamina stepping with a sample hefty slap. Sometimes too, he asked another kid to demonstrate it.

Some of caretakers were also seen vigorously knocking on the heads of the poor kids or beating them with sticks for various offenses. These offenses include playing hide and seek, failing to join the gathering to receive gift items or failing to help carry donated items to the store room.

“He hit me with a cane. I told him we do laundry on Saturdays that’s why I went to sleep. He refuses to live here with us. Why does he then come around to beat us?” one of the children said while sobbing after an abuse.

“You’re walking around here aimlessly while we’ve received parcel”, a caretaker remarks and proceeds to beat children for not being busy.

“Some time ago, pastor instructed Kwaku to give 12 strokes of lashes to whoever he sees indoors whenever there was a donation, party, or program here”, another boy also narrated.

Reaction from Rev Lamina Lawrence

When the Reverend Minister was contacted for his side of the story, the director claimed that only himself and the house father or mother has the permission to cane children in the home. “As I said, only the leadership (has been) given the mandate and personally I caned them”.

He further said that the children in the home are not beaten or caned as a form of punishment for fighting or stealing or for any other reason apart from been late for school. “As I said, only the leadership (has been) given the mandate and personally I caned them. Not in terms of may be stealing or fighting or that kind of (reasons) but it’s like they need to go to school by 7 o’clock. You need to wake up by six, get ready and then go to school but (by) 7 o’clock they ‘ll be still sleeping. the cane and then cane them”, he claimed.

He later however admitted in another statement that they cane children when they steal. “Ah! If someone steals, that also is a serious issue because one of our rules says we don’t steal. So, for that one too you take some canes because we don’t want you to go out and become an armed robber or to join a gang and (be) stealing”. This was after he had claimed that he only asks extremely stubborn children in the home to only work till they are tired of working and ready to turn over a new leaf. “one of the particular ways personally I do is, when a child becomes so much stubborn, instead of giving beatings or spanking, I’ll rather give a work to the child to do on the premises. Sometimes, I like them to wash the dishes. Sometimes, I like them to do sweeping. Sometimes I like them to go with the adults in the bathrooms. So, I discipline them by asking them to work with the adults. So, that’s some of the discipline or punishment I give to the children. I’ll give to the stubborn ones. And the more you keep being stubborn, you’ll be working every day. And if you don’t want to be working everyday then you must behave well. So, that is the way in train my care givers to do to the kids when they misbehave”.

Rev Lamina also said that one must be with them to understand and be able to know when a punishment can be described as an abuse. “But in some cases the caregiver tries to discipline the child but they do it extremely. They don’t try to handle it on a mild level. They go (to the) extreme and that is been termed as abuse when you go beyond your limit. So, in such cases, (when) somebody comes around or a visitor (comes) in or a volunteer (comes) in (and) doesn’t know our culture and the extent (to which) we discipline our children. They don’t know the culture and the limit and how we go about it, so, they will look at it as an abuse”, he opined.

Child Labour and Negligence

The General Manager and the caretakers of the home often subjected the inmates to child labour for their personal gain. Some of the children in the home are made to carry concrete blocks or firewood while others are employed to push trucks loaded with sand from the home to clients outside, with the money going to the taskmasters; the General Manager and the caretakers.The home that was supposed to provide some comfort and relief to the disabled and needy kids is gradually turning into a den of maltreatment and neglect. Some of the children, especially the physically challenged, when they soil themselves, could be left with the mess for hours.

Hunger is a daily reality for many here. Children with physical conditions that require that they are spoon-fed are usually left to feed themselves and they end up spilling a chunk of the meal. Volunteers at the home have been asked not to complain about whatever they witness there, because all the incidents are “normal.”

Knowing the gravity of the situation and the consequences of public exposure, the caretakers often subject these kids to thorough interrogations about their interactions with volunteers during the day. This happens at the end of each day when these volunteers have left the facility to return to their various homes.

Echoing Hills Village

Echoing Hills Village is a facility that caters for the homeless, victims of child abuse, orphans and neglected children including children with disabilities and special needs.

Source: Anas Aremeyaw Anas

Filming undercover, Anas and his Tiger Eye P.I team documented horrendous cases of abuse, in one instance showing a man of God forcing a child in an orphanage to eat his own excreta. 

But this, according to the journalist, is only a tip of the cruelty Rev. Lawrence Lamina, Director of Echoing Hills Village, subjects children to at his care home.

When caregivers become abusers;
When donations for the needy end up on the open market…
And a man of God, turns into a menace.

Where does the state come in?

View trailer to TORTURE HOME here: https://t.co/QB1rYiFIPv

— Anas Aremeyaw Anas (@anasglobal) June 20, 2019

Echoing Hills Village is a non-governmental organisation located at Madina in the Greater Accra Region. It has been receiving tremendous help from the public both local and foreign, in order to continue to care for the children who are without parents and have found themselves in the home.

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However, the inmates of the orphanage, the documentary reveals, have never known peace as they allegedly suffer hell and torment daily, in the hands of the man of God.

“I see them as my own children,” he was captured saying in the documentary. But Rev. Lamina is seen supervising the torture of a young boy.

“Do you want to kill me? I’ll kill you first,” the pastor fumed while the child is subdued, pressed to the ground so that he cannot protest while being subjected to degrading treatment by his caregiver cum minister of the Gospel.

ALSO: Audio: Midwife suspended for unprofessional conduct says she is innocent, threatens to appeal

The harrowing experiences of children in this orphanage where sex and sodomy are pervasive have been documented in Anas’ latest undercover work which will be premiered this Friday, June 28 on a number of television networks including JoyNews and Adom TV as well as his website, jesuisanas.org.

Anas in a Facebook post on Monday said: “When a man of God pulls a dagger and threatens to kill a child in his orphanage for committing a ‘crime’, he naturally courts society’s wrath and outright condemnation.”

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“It is shocking to watch the video, yet it is gratifying that a place meant for the protection of children in difficult circumstances but turned into a special prison for their torture has finally been exposed,” he added. 

Above is a short extract from the documentary that is set to be premiered later this week:

Source: Myjoyonline.com

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The police say the suspects have been cautioned and granted bill.

ACP David Senanu Eklu, Director-General, Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, disclosed the information to journalists in Kumasi on Thursday, 7 February 2019.

Apart from the six suspects, ACP Eklu said Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong; former president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi; and Ahmed’s boss, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, have all been cautioned and given forms to submit their statement to the police.

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Mr Agyapong has been of interest to the police because he splashed images of Hussein-Suale on TV and social media after Tiger Eye PI screened an undercover piece titled Number 12, which captured Mr Nyantakyi and other people involved in football administration in Africa, taking a bribe.

Some eyewitnesses, according to ACP Eklu, have also been interviewed by the police.

The police spokesman noted that the law enforcement body is working hard to clamp down on Ahmed’s murderers.

READ: Photos: Exclusive photos of “Aagbe Wo” demo

He said although Mr Agyapong’s outing of Ahmed’s identity is of interest to the police and of material relevance to the case, nothing can be done to him unless a specific offence is identified in the Criminal Offences Act vis-à-vis the lawmaker’s behaviour.

According to Tiger Eye PI, Anas Aremeyaw Anas was invited by the police to provide further details about a tape they presented to the police to help unravel circumstances leading to Ahmed Suale’s demise.

Tiger Eye PI disclosed that tape about threats on Ahmed Suale’s life was also sent to the Police two weeks ago to assist them with their investigations.

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Tiger Eye in a series of tweets, insists that the tape is significant in unraveling the truth behind the death of Ahmed Suale.

They also disclosed that their lead Investigator, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has been constantly engaging the police prior to Ahmed’s death on the possible prosecution of persons named in the number 12 exposure on corruption in football.

Already, the likes of Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong and former GFA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi have been interrogated by the police.

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Below is the full statement

“Two weeks ago, Tiger Eye PI submitted a tape to the police to assist them in their investigations into the murder Ahmed Hussein Suale. The tape contains threats on the life of Ahmed and any member of the team who worked on the #Number12 documentary.

Today upon the invitation of the Police, Anas Aremeyaw Anas (@anasglobal) met with the police to provide further details about the tape and circumstances surrounding it and why Tiger Eye believes is of significance to the investigation.

Prior to Ahmed’s death both, Ahmed and Anas (@anasglobal) were constantly meeting the Police (@GhPoliceService) and the Attorney General over prosecution of persons mentioned and showed in #Number12 documentary.”

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Tiger Eye PI and their lead Investigator Anas Aremeyaw Anas added that they will continue to collaborate with the Police service and the attorney general for the “effective investigations and eventual prosecution” of the culprits.

Tiger Eye PI and Anas Aremeyaw Anas (@anasglobal) will continue to collaborate with the Police (@GhPoliceService) and Attorney General for effective investigations and eventual prosecution.

Ahmed, who was the pioneer of Anas Number 12 expose, was shot dead by some unknown assailants at Madina a few weeks ago.

His death sent shock waves through Ghana and has brought about fear among journalists including Anas himself who feel their life is at risk because of their profession.

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According to him, probing into corruption and other criminal activities by some individuals should not stop because it causes destruction and unrest in a country.

“There is a lot to be done to make this country safe to make Africa better.” He said

In an interview with Deutsche Welle, Anas, who wants justice for his colleague, added, “Wherever he is, he is watching us and he will be very disappointed if we decide to give up. The way he was shot, it means you are not free, I am not free. No other journalist is free.

WATCH: Video: Woman cries for justice after son is allegedly killed in a hotel

He revealed plans to honour Ahmed in “in grand style, with a big and good enough story that will shake the foundations of nations.”

“So if you take away one Anas, as has just happened you haven’t taken away the spirit of the people I encourage everybody to stay focused.” Anas indicated.

“You can take away one of us, but you can’t take away the spirit of the people.”

After his colleague was shot dead, Ghanaian journalist @anasglobal is determined to keep the reporting going. pic.twitter.com/3bfJC8KnBA

— DW News (@dwnews) January 28, 2019

The minority in parliament has been urged to stop the discussions and commentaries on the murdered investigative journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale.

Member of Parliament for  Mpraeso,  Seth Kwame Acheampong has accused the minority group of failing to do proper checks before pointing accusing fingers at colleague MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong.

He believes the commentaries interfere with the ongoing investigations into the murder of the Tiger Eye PI journalist who was shot by unknown assailants.

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Ahmed Hussein-Suale, a  lead investigative journalist with Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ Tiger Eye PI  team was assassinated on Wednesday, January 16, 2019, at Madina.

He was shot three times – twice in the chest and in the neck by unknown assailants on a motorbike.

The Minority in Parliament insists Kennedy Agyapong should be arrested for inciting the public to harm the late journalist.

READ ALSO: Takoradi Kidnapped girls: suspects misleading police [Audio]

A former Deputy Interior Minister and MP for Builsa North, James Agalga told a press conference that Mr Agyapong should be prosecuted for his actions.

“We call on the law enforcement agencies to promptly cause Mr Agyapong’s arrest and prosecute him for his actions,” he said at a minority press conference on Monday.

But Mr Acheampong has fired back at the minority, describing its stance as interference in police investigations.

RELATED: We’ve no official report of Takoradi kidnappings – Gender Minister

“Ghana’s security is intact. The minority must know when to make such comments on security. Their stance is very slippery. They should just allow the police to work because interfering won’t solve the matter,” he said on Adom FM’s Morning Show “Dwaso Nsem” Tuesday.

According to the NPP MP, such comments are unwarranted at the time police and other investigative bodies have launched investigations into the murder of the late journalist.

The undercover journalist who picked one of the two special awards for his two-year investigations into corruption in football dubbed ‘Betraying the Game,’  immediately dedicated the award to the slain member of his Tiger Eye PI team, Ahmed Divela  Hussein-Suale.

The over 200 journalists drawn from 100 countries in attendance at Monday night’s event, including IOC President, Thomas Bach and other representatives of the world sport also observed a minute silence in remembrance of the late Ahmed Divela who was killed last week by two unknown assailants at Madina, Accra.

” I receive this award in honour of my colleague Ahmed Divela Hussein-Suale and I know that he would have been with me here to receive this award.

“But for the unfortunate incident, Ahmed, as you all know, was shot a few days ago; two in his heart and one on his neck. And if there is any message that Ahmed would have loved me to give to all of you it would’ve been this simple: journalism is not a crime,” says Anas Aremeyaw Anas in his 31-seconds speech.

He was also instrumental in  Ghana’s version of the project dubbed ‘Number 12’.

RELATED: Nyantakyi quizzed over Ahmed Hussein-Suale’s murder

His murder on last Wednesday night shook the foundations of the nation respected for press freedom, attracting wild condemnation from the international community.

Police have since interrogated some key people including the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, former President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi, among others in connection with the murder.

A statement signed by Director-General of Public Affairs Unit of the Ghana Police Service urged the general public to volunteer information on the murder to police.

READ: Audio: Fake soldiers remanded for attempting to assassinate chief

The awards  also included two special awards for A Life in Sport and Investigative Reporting

“I think it is important that the future generation of journalists understand how vital it is for our profession to continue to monitor for the world of sport and to fight for transparency and promote work against every aspect of corruption,” AIPS President, Giani Merlo said.

The Minority in Parliament is calling for the immediate arrest of Assin Central Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong over the murder of Ahmed Hussien-Suale, an undercover investigative journalist with Tiger Eye P.I.

Speaking at a press conference Monday, former deputy Interior minister and MP for Builsa North James Agalga said: “we call on the law enforcement agencies to promptly cause Mr. Agyapong’s arrest and prosecute him for his actions.”

The Minority arrived on this conclusion following their interpretation of section 20(1) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

READ: Audio: Help us find killers of Hussein-Suale – Family of killed journalist to public

They quote, “a person who, directly or indirectly, instigate, commands, counsel, procures, solicit, or in any manner purposely aids, facilitates, encourages, or promotes, whether by a personal act or presence or otherwise, and a person who does an act for the purposes of aiding, facilitating, encouraging, or promoting the commission of criminal offence by any other person, whether known or unknown, certain, or uncertain, commits the criminal offence of abetting that criminal offence, and of abetting the other person in respect of that criminal offence.”

The Minority concludes that “…Mr. Agyapong appears to bear some criminal responsibility for the death of Ahmed, and he also bears criminal responsibility for instigating the public to beat up Ahmed and cause harm to Mr. Anas for monetary reward.”

“Mr. Agyapong appears to have abetted several offences ranging from assault, causing harm, causing harm with the use of an offensive weapon, attempted murder and murder by instigating the public by reaching out to the public to visit the indicated violence on them. And by the operation of our law, the offence of abetting a crime through instigating violence is committed even if no member of the public lifts a finger in furtherance of the invitation.”

Recounting the specific actions of the Assin Central Member of Parliament, which has led them to these conclusions they state: “We recall that upon the advertisement by Tiger Eye P.I. of the airing of the documentary entitled – “Number 12  – When Greed and Corruption Become the Norm” – the NPP Member of Parliament for Assin Central Constituency, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, commenced a tirade against Mr. Anas in particular and his Tiger Eye P.I. team members. Mr. Agyapong vowed to destroy Mr. Anas and his team if they dared to air the documentary. Mr. Anas called off Mr. Agyapong’s bluff and proceeded to air the documentary in various locations in Ghana and on local and international media.

READ: Audio: NPP man calls for tighter security for Kennedy Agyapong

Mr. Agyapong then went further and splashed pictures purporting to be the image of Anas on Net 2 TV (which he owns) and on the Internet. He also invited the general public to cause harm to Mr. Anas for monetary compensation.

Further, Mr. Agyapong released pictures known to be the image and likeness of Ahmed in like manner and incited the public to visit violence on Ahmed for monetary reward. Indeed, Mr. Agyapong declared that he was prepared to pay any member of the public who would beat up Ahmed. Mr. Agyapong then proceeded to indicate the location of Ahmed’s residence.”

Following from these claims the minority has chastised the security agencies for their failure to take action on the said MP and allowed him to leave the jurisdiction. The statement points out, “Shockingly, Mr. Agyapong was allowed to fly out of the country, without being apprehended, on that very day on an Emirates flight headed to Dubai and possible onward journey.”

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The conduct of Mr. Agyapong could not have escaped the notice of law enforcement agencies and the government of President Akufo-Addo. And till date, he has not been invited by the Police for questioning. We find this situation deeply worrying and uncharacteristic of a democratic and civilised country.

“Mr. Agyapong’s conduct, and the obvious lack of action by the law enforcement agencies leads to only one conclusion – that Mr. Agyapong is above the laws of Ghana and he enjoys impunity free from prosecution.”

The statement also “called on Nana Akufo-Addo’s government to roundly condemn the conduct of Mr. Agyapong.”

On the night of Wednesday 16th January 2019, Ahmed Hussien-Suale, who was driving in Madina close to his family house, was shot three times by two men on a motorbike who pulled alongside his car. He died almost instantly. He was 33.

Ahmed was a member of Tiger Eye P.I., headed by the celebrated and internationally acclaimed investigative journalist, Mr. Anas Aremeyaw Anas. Ahmed was a lead investigator in the lastest work of Tiger Eye P.I titled “Number 12 – When Greed and Corruption Become the Norm.”

The documentary investigated corruption into African Football with greater focus on Ghana. Ahmed was assigned to specifically investigate Former Ghana Football Association President, Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi.

The undercover report led to a lifetime ban from all football-related activities imposed on Mr. Kwasi Nyantakyi by the Adjudicatory Chamber of the Independent Ethics Committee of FIFA. It also led to the dissolution of the GFA and the sanctioning of several football officials across the African continent.

Ahmed was also part of the BBC team of journalists that investigated the selling of human parts in Malawi – an investigation that nearly got Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his team killed as residents of a suburb in that country mistook them for ritual killers.

Praying for the soul of the deceased at the cemetery in Madina, the livid man asked Allah to seek justice for him.

RELATED STORY: Ahmed started receiving death threats after photos were published – Family reveals

“May God curse those people who did that. Wherever they are, we are praying to you Allah, may you expose them”. “We are praying to the Almighty to expose those behind this and those who assigned them to do that, Allah we are praying to you, we don’t have anybody to cry to, those people have cheated our brother, and we don’t have anything to say to you, Allah, we are praying to you, expose those people”.

“Journalists are being cheated, he was doing his work, national assignment, everybody is crying that there is corruption in the country, and he has risked his life to defend the country and this is what he got. We are crying to you almighty, he has left four children, who is going to take care of them? Allah, we are looking to you, clean our tears for us, we are looking to you, we won’t pray to anyone else, and we believe and trust in you, do the right thing for Muslims”, they prayed.

READ: Pregnant woman, child killed by speeding vehicle

Hussein- Suale who was shot dead Wednesday was involved in the investigation of corruption into Ghana football in mid-2018.

The work led to the resignation of Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Kwasi Nyantakyi.

Member of Parliament for Assin Central Kennedy Agyapong has been accused of inciting violence against the journalist.

READ: Pregnant woman, child killed by speeding vehicle

The family of killed undercover  journalist at a press conference in Accra Sunday claimed he started receiving death threats after his photographs were published.

The 31-year-old received three gunshots, two in the chest and another in the neck, according to the police. The incident reportedly happened very close to his house.

The police has begun investigations and the MP has been contacted as he remains an interested party in the case.

This perhaps confirms the view of many that the young man who worked with private investigative firm, Tiger Eye PI, would have still been alive had Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong not published his photographs out of anger against his work.

Ahmed was a key partner to investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and participated in the Number 12 documentary which exposed corrupt and underhand dealings in Ghana Football.

READ: Pregnant woman, child killed by speeding vehicle

Details of the documentary shocked Ghana, Africa and the entire football fraternity and led to the resignation of Ghana Football Association President Kwesi Nyantakyi and his subsequent lifetime ban by football governing body, FIFA.

My Agyapong was one of the fierce critics of the work and did not hide his disgust at the methods used by Tiger Eye in producing the documentary.

In one of his numerous rants following the release of the exposé, Mr Agyapong on his television station, NET2, encouraged violence against Ahmed, offering to pay personally for such violence and disclosing the deceased’s whereabouts. He also showed photographs of Ahmed during the live broadcast.

READ: Audio: Boy, 18 killed at Sefwi Danyame

While some NPP MPs have mounted a defence for Mr Agyapong following Ahmed’s killing at Madina, a suburb of Accra on January 16, his family believes their son would have still been alive had his face not been revealed to the public.

At a press conference at the family house at Madina, the family described Ahmed as having a very quiet and calm demeanour; characteristics that helped him with his work without fear or threat on his life.

Ahmed was Anas’ key partner 

He, however, “began experiencing threats to his life and reports of same from his immediate family and friends, only when details of his Ghanaian Passport and Photographs were shown and widely circulated on some TV Stations and in the Print Media and Social Media platforms.

“Right after, Suale began receiving death threats and strange occurrences around himself and his environment; developments that caused him to make several reports to the Police Administration,” the family spokesperson said.

This action could not, however, save him from the cruel hands of his assailants, the distraught family added.

Related: UN expresses “strong condemnation” of Ahmed’s killing

They say although they are devastated and stunned by the loss, they remain faithful to Allah, knowing that he is the only one capable and able to expose the assailants and their sponsors to face punishment on earth and even after.

“The family is ready and willing to cooperate and work with the law enforcement agencies to get to the bottom of this matter.

“The family is pursuing this matter in order to support the Ghanaian people to avert any further occurrence on those other well-meaning Ghanaians; whose photographs were shown alongside that of our son.”

They called on Ghanaians to take their personal security seriously, “by taking note of strange, unusual movements and occurrences in and around their houses, neighbourhood, communities and towns.”

READ: Video: Gov’t delegation mourns with late Ahmed’s family

The undercover Journalist of the Tiger Eye PI, Ahmed Hussein-Suale who was murdered on Wednesday night at Madina has been buried.

He was would be given a Muslim burial at the Madina Cemetery on Friday afternoon.This was preceded by the Friday Jumuah Prayers at the Mosque.

READ: Audio: Murder of GPHA PR Manager: Houseboy’s mother cries for lawyer

Mr Hussein-Suale was on Wednesday night, shot by some unknown assailants at Madina, near the Catholic Church Taxi Rank.

The murder has been condemned by the President and a cross-section of the society.

READ: V/P Police accused of “ganja” farming in Alavanyo

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has contacted Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong following the murder of an undercover journalist with Tiger Eye PI.

RELATED STORY: CID hasn’t invited me over journalist’s murder – Ken Agyapong [Video]

Director-General of Public Affairs Department of the Ghana Police Service, ACP David Eklu revealed this on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Thursday.

31-year-old Ahmed Hussein-Suale, a close associate of investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas was murder in cold blood Wednesday 16 January 2019 at Madina in Accra.

RELATED STORY: Ahmed’s murder: My hands are clean – Ken Agyapong [Video]

According to reports, he was shot by unidentified men who were riding on a motorbike.

But his death has been linked a comment by the Assin Central MP who was said to have asked his workers at his NET2 TV station to beat him [Ahmed] up if he ever stepped foot there.

The police has been urged to invite Ken Agyapong whose comment many believe might to urged the assailants on the commit the heinous crime.

RELATED STORY: You are a suspect – Kennedy Agyapong tells Anas [Video]

To put matter to rest, ACP Eklu said they have spoken to the MP and have also requested for the video for investigations.

He however bemoaned the seeming politicization of the matter when the police is working assiduously to apprehended the killers.

ACP Eklu appealed for calm and urged the public to volunteer information to enable them arrest the culprits.

President of the Association, Roland Affil Monney said the law enforcement agency seems to be docile in apprehending the perpetrators of such heinous crime.

RELATED STORY: Did Anas kill Hafiz? – Ken Agyapong asks

Ahmed Suale, who is a key partner of investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ Tiger Eye PI firm, died on the spot at Madina on his way home when he was reportedly shot three times by an unknown assailant.

The development has attracted widespread condemnation on social media especially journalists who are posting with the #JournalismIsNotCrime.

RELATED STORY: Ahmed’s murder: My hands are clean – Ken Agyapong

President of GJA on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Thursday, Affil Monney condemned the killing describing it as “un-Ghanaian and unacceptable”.

He said the heinous murder has cowed the entire media fraternity into submission and the police must act swiftly to maximize security.

Affil Monney called on the police to promptly investigate the matter and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.

RELATED STORY: CID hasn’t invited me over journalist’s murder – Ken Agyapong [Video]

“Our lives are in the hands of the law and the state has the responsibility to get protection for all of us”.

RELATED STORY: Did Anas kill Hafiz? – Ken Agyapong asks

Member of Parliament for Assin Central has revealed he nearly subjected ace investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas to severe beatings at the premises of the General Legal Council.

Ken Agyapong said his hatred for the Tiger Eye PI leader makes it impossible for them to meet without a fight.

RELATED STORY: Arrest killers of Ahmed – Akufo-Addo charges police

The Assin Central MP dragged Anas to the General Legal Council insisting that, his modus operandi of entrapping people should not be countenanced by Ghanaians.

In a complaint letter dated July 5, 2018, addressed to the Chairperson of the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council, Mr Agyapong is asking that disciplinary action should be taken against Anas as a lawyer.

When they were both summoned by the Council on the matter, Ken Agyapong said he could not maintain his cool and also beat the ace investigative journalist.

RELATED STORY: CID hasn’t invited me over journalist’s murder – Ken Agyapong [Video]

The tension between these two men has been deepened after a member of Tiger Eye PI was killed at Ahmed Hussein Suale was killed Wednesday night at Madina in Accra.

Anas and his team quickly circulated a video in which the MP was seen on live TV urging people to beat him up if he was spotted close to his Net2 Television.

His conduct in the video makes him a prime suspect in the murder case – an allegation he has vehemently denied.

Ken Agyapong on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme said it is a grand scheme by Anas to divert attention.

He said until Anas is invited, he will not honour any invitation by the police.

Member of Parliament for Assin Central in the Central region has denied media reports that the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has officially invited him over the murder of investigative journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale.

The deceased was shot three times, twice in the chest and another in the neck late last night at Madina while driving home by unidentified men riding a motorbike.

RELATED STORY: Tiger Eye PI speaks on member’s murder

The Assin Central MP has been linked to his sudden demise after he allegedly ordered his staff to beat Ahmed Hussein-Suale up when he comes to his radio station at Madina.

Ken Agyapong, known to be very outspoken, has come under intense attack after the brutal murder of the investigative journalist.

Given this backdrop, he was said to have been invited by the police to aid in Investigations to unravel circumstances leading to the killing.

READ ALSO: Did Anas kill Hafiz? – Ken Agyapong asks

But speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Thursday afternoon, Ken Agyapong said the false report was part of a grand scheme by Anas and his team to divert attention.

“Anas and his team are aware of the guy’s death that is why they want to divert attention of the police,” he claimed.

The Assin Central MP maintained that the young journalist never offended him whiles alive so he could never have been part of a plot to kill him.

READ ALSO: Gov’t not liable for Menzgold customers – Hadzide

Ken Agyapong said though he will be travelling this week, he will readily avail himself for any investigations if invited by the police.

Outspoken Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, says he has no regret for the comments he made leading to the death of Ahmed Hussein-Suale, an investigator with Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ Tiger Eye PI.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen Thursday, the MP wondered why he would mastermind the killing of a person who is irrelevant in his life.

READ ALSO: Tiger Eye PI speaks on member’s murder

“I don’t regret making any comment on Ahmed and showing his face. What I said was that if he comes to my premises, they should beat him and so if he has been killed, why would they accuse me of killing him,” he asked.

Ahmed Hussein-Suale, an investigative journalist and team member of the Tiger Eye PI was last night assassinated by two unidentified gunmen who were riding on a motorbike at Madina while he was driving home.

The two fled after shooting Ahmed at close range, twice in the chest and once in the neck, killing him instantly.

ALSO READ: Did Anas kill Hafiz? – Ken Agyapong asks

The controversial MP said he will go to every length to ensure that he distances himself from the death he believes Anas is responsible for.

Responding to concerns that he needs to be invited by the police considering circumstances that might have led to the killing of the Tiger Eye member.

The legislator expressed his preparedness to meet with the police because his hands are clean.

Ahmed Hussein-Suale, an investigative journalist and team member of the Tiger Eye PI was last night assassinated by two unidentified gunmen who were riding on a motorbike at Madina while he was driving home.

The two fled after shooting Ahmed at close range twice in the chest and once in the neck, killing him instantly.

RELATED: Tiger Eye remains focused despite murder of member [Audio]

In a statement issued by the investigative team, the team expressed their devastation by the act but declared they remain unshaken in their resolve to pursue nation-wreckers and make corruption a high-risk activity in the country.

“We call on the security agencies to unmask the elements behind this assassination and bring them to book.”

READ ALSO: Ghana among CNN’s list of places to visit in 2019

The body has since been deposited at the Police mortuary in Accra with the team looking forward to an Islamic burial.

Below is the full statement

Ahmed was shot three times, twice in the chest and another in the neck late Wednesday night at Madina in Accra while he was driving home by unidentified men on a motorbike.

A dishevelled Anas confirmed the sad development and loss of a core team member and a brother, to Graphic Online, hardly able to compose himself.

READ: 85-year-old woman jail for son’s crime

Ahmed was one of Tiger Eye journalists whose photographs the member of parliament for Assign South, Kennedy Agyapong circulated in his ‘who watches the watchman’ anti-Anas video documentary and called on the public to deal with for a handsome reward.

ALSO: NDC’s ‘Moment of Truth’ concert party – Sam Pyne (Audio)

“He was just shot and killed, nothing was taken from him”, said another devastated member of the Anas team, who added that the body has been taken to the Police Hospital Morgue and that he could be buried as soon as possible in keeping with Islamic rites.

Below is Anas’ tweet on the issue

Sad news, but we shall not be silenced. Rest in peace, Ahmed. #JournalismIsNotACrime #SayNoToCorruption pic.twitter.com/Gk2Jdgo6Sn

— Anas Aremeyaw Anas (@anasglobal) January 17, 2019

That exposé was the undoing of Mr. Nyantakyi, then one of the most powerful men in world football.

FIFA’s Ethics Committee banned Kwesi Nyantakyi for life from all football-related activities and imposed GHc2.4 million fine (500,000 Swiss Francs) after Anas’ team caught him on tape in acts of corruption.
Amid the fallout from the exposé, Christine-Marie Nyantakyi sought to build on an earlier claim that someone or some people tried to blackmail her husband by demanding $100,000.

She said they paid the money in a desperate attempt to stop the screening, although the amount was later returned to them after the screening of the video.

READ: Owusu Bempah apologizes to Ghanaians for misconduct

“Well, there’s information, and there’s truth in that information. Apparently, we became so desperate when we realized that all that they presented to us were false, so we tried to make some interventions, and they proposed that he pays some money. They proposed $150,000. My husband couldn’t afford it so he gave out $100,000 dollars, and they came back to him and said the person says you need to add $50,000, and he said well, I don’t have it; that’s all that I have,” she said on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana.

When asked what happened to the $100,000, Christine-Marie Nyantakyi said it was later returned to them by the blackmailers when the probe was made public at a film screening.

But speaking on Citi TV’s Point of View, Anas attempted to punch holes in her claims saying her story was illogical.

“Here you are, your husband has been under a lot of public pressure and he has always denied the issues that have come up. The people who are accusing your husband have come to you and then they have made a demand of a $100,000. You have parted away with the money. Why? If you are innocent, why would you part away with a $100,000?

ALSO: Mahama scheming to rig NDC presidential primaries – NPP claims

Anas also questioned why she was yet to name the alleged blackmailers.

“And you can’t mention their names? Because she fell short of mentioning a name. I wish she would have said Anas and his team did but she didn’t and there is a reason for that. Because she knows that never happened. It is simple.”

“All this happens to you. you complain about the effect on your family and you have a last punch to throw at the one who threw this mud at you and you say you are protecting the person? What kind of logic is this?”

Among other things, Mr. Nyantakyi was caught on tape plotting to set up an agency that would broker a sponsorship deal for the Ghana Premier League.

The deal would have seen the former GFA boss benefit significantly more than the association. The agreement under discussion was to be worth $5 million for a year for five years.

He was also filmed taking $65,000 from an undercover reporter pretending to be a businessman.

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FIFA concluded that Mr. Nyantakyi violated conflicts of interest statutes and was found to have engaged in bribery and corruption after its probe.

This was after he had been handed a 90-day provisional ban in June 2018.

Anas had petitioned FIFA to commence investigations into the conduct of Mr. Nyantakyi based on the content of the journalists’ investigative film titled ‘Number12’.

Mr. Nyantakyi described the punishment as “harsh and unfair”, and served notice he will be appealing the decision.

The panel, obviously amused by the comment told Kennedy Agyapong that if he dares touch Anas or any of his team members’ mask, they would have him arrested and charged for assault.

The Assin Central MP left the GLC angry and complained to the panel that they did not show respect to him. Meanwhile, the MP has not publicly commented on the issue.

READ: Corruption Watch: RTI is panacea for corruption fight – Media Coalition

The panel is made up of distinguished Supreme Court Judges, Retired Supreme Court Judges as well as senior member of the legal profession.

The General Legal Council (GLC) yesterday dismissed a complaint filed by the MP for Assin Central, against ace undercover investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas,

The GLC, however, declined jurisdiction in a complaint of professional misconduct brought against Anas on the grounds that Anas was not a lawyer at the time the alleged incident happened.

It further directed the MP to report Anas to the police if he felt Anas was corrupt.

READ: I’ll file as disabled; I’m visually impaired – Spio-Garbrah

According to the GLC, Anas was neither the police nor the Attorney-General to terminate a trial.

Recall that the MP, in July 2018, dragged the undercover journalist to the GLC, claiming that Anas misconducted himself professionally as a lawyer in a manner that bordered on “moral turpitude.”

The complaint letter dated July 5, 2018, and addressed to the Chairperson of the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Counsel, asked that disciplinary action be taken against Anas as a lawyer.

According to the MP, Anas and a Chief State Attorney, Ms Ellen Kwawukume, connived to cause a fraud case to be dismissed.

He alleged that Anas’ style of investigations, which he described as ‘entrapping people’ should not be countenanced.

READ: GHC400,000 filing fee: NPP man accuses Gen Mosquito of “elimination by rough tactics”

This is not the first time Anas has bloodied the MP. Anas, for his part, has dragged Mr Agyapong to court for defaming him and is asking the High Court to award aggravated damages to the tune of GH¢25 million arising from defamatory materials published by the MP.

A sports journalist, Listowell Yesu Bukarson, has been granted the lawful attorney to stand in for Anas.

In another breath, Ms. Kwawukume, who is currently on retirement, has also sued the MP for GH¢25 million for defamation

According to him, it is normal for people who feel aggrieved he has exposed them to threaten him with death saying each time he hears such, he laughs because he is not scared to die.

Anas who had a close shave with death in Malawi while embarking on one of his undercover piece “Malawi’s Human Harvest” told patrons of this year’s Media Festival organized by The Press Foundation (TPF) with support from MyNewsGh.com that death is inevitable.

READ: PHOTO: 3 arrested for hanging suspected thieves over manhole

“I don’t know why I’m alive today. I’m being honest with you. I should have died. I am not scared of death threats. I have it over and over and when I hear it now I laugh”, he disclosed.

On who protects him against some of the dangers of life he simply replied “God”

God is my protector either than that I would be dead by now. I don’t see why I should be sitting here. I have had very terrible moments and how I managed to escape translates to the effect there is a bigger one over all of us”, he recounted.

READ: Blame corruption in the police service on working conditions – Allotey

He revealed that the life he has chosen for himself has gotten his friends scared for him because he has literally abandoned them because he hardly gets the time to meet with them in fun places.

“You cannot lead this life partying hard in the beaches and other areas. I can choose the beaches but I will get the repercussions and need to be cautious. I tried it once and I saw what happened to me”, he revealed.

READ: Ekosiisen National Dialogue Series: Only corruption can kill Free SHS [Audio]

“Friends complained I have abandoned them but when shown results of why I abandoned them they get happy. It is not fair but paying a prize which is wearing a masked face is what I have chosen for myself”, he added.

On whether he has a life of his own he explained “I feel more comfortable when I do work that impacts on humanity…that satisfy the world”

The mysterious death, YEN.com.gh gathers occurred on the morning of Saturday, November 17, in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital.

According to a report YEN.com.gh, Dema Naa Hafiz Mohammed died at a private hospital on Saturday after complaining of an illness that same morning.

READ: Asiwa Police Commander shot at Nsuta

Naa Mohammed, the report indicated, had attended a ceremony to enskin another chief but returned complaining that he was not feeling well.

He then took his car and headed to the hospital for a check-up. But news came in later that he had died.

While the report further cited some close friends of the late chief as confirming the news of his death, Naa Hafiz Mohammed’s family, YEN.com.gh understands, is yet to officially speak on the matter.

READ: NDC Congress: Voting finally over after more than 16 hours!

For those of us who are wondering who the late chief is, he is the same person who accused investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas of taking a $50,000 bribe from him (Hafiz) to drop a case against him.

It will be recalled that at the height of his mission to discredit Anas, Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong claimed the award-winning journalist was an extortionist and a bribe-taker.

To prove these allegations, the controversial MP brought many people to his NET 2 TV and Oman FM to give various testimonies on June 1.

READ: NDC Congress Day 2: No end in sight for NDC delegates as voting drags

One of them was Naa Hafiz who alleged that Anas had requested $100,000 from him to ‘kill’ investigations he was making into a case against him (Hafiz).

According to the Naa Hafiz, fearing the embarrassment that the release of that investigative piece would bring him, he had to pay Anas $50,000 while his (chief) friend also paid $50,000 to complete Anas’ demands of $100,000.

However, later reports suggested that Naa Hafiz’s testimony could not be taken on face value because he had been cited in many fraud deals.

One of the deals, a $5.7 million gold scam, was reportedly unravelled by Anas who led the police to arrest him at somewhere in September 2009 and thus his testimony against him could have been for revenge.

Christine-Marie Nyantakyi in an exclusive interview on Good Evening Ghana on Metro TV on Tuesday said her husband who is an astute lawyer is too meticulous to have been caught on camera taking money for a non-existent sponsorship deal.

RELATED STORY: My husband won’t run away; be patient with him – Nyantakyi’s wife begs [Video]

“They brought $40,000 first; and then later on, they brought $60,000 dollars. I have not gathered the courage to watch the full video, because the small that I watched, I knew that the way he is talking; that is not my husband; something might have gone wrong,” she bemoaned.

When the host asked if he could have been under a spell or some incantations, she responded in the affirmative.

READ ALSO: Fights break out in SA parliament

Mrs Nyantakyi said her husband initially had some doubts about the deal but went ahead after he felt convinced by Abu, who was a member of Tiger Eye.

Meanwhile, Kwesi Nyantakyi has been banned from all football activities for the rest of his life and has been fined 500,000 Swiss Francs (an equivalent of Ghc2, 414,276.46 and $497,490.00 respectively), for various breaches of FIFA’s code of ethics after the exposé.

He has filed for an appeal against the life ban by FIFA at the Court of Arbitration for Sport stating the sanction is too harsh.

This comes after the opposition National Democratic Congress urged the government to expedite action into investigations on the conduct of the former GFA boss.

RELATED STORY: GFA to pay Nyantakyi’s GHC 2.4 million FIFA fine if he defaults

Nyantakyi was handed a life ban from all football activities at both national and international level (administrative, sports or any other) by FIFA on Tuesday.

The NDC also called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to open himself up for an investigation to clear his name in connection with the Number 12 undercover documentary by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, which exposed massive corruption in Ghana football.

But a statement by the deputy Information Minister, Pius Enam Hadzide, stated that Mr. Nyantekyi is not a close confidante of the President as claimed by the NDC.

The statement added that “the President has had a professional working relationship with the then President of the GFA, just as he has several other persons occupying positions of public interest.

RELATED STORY: Nyantakyi speaks on FIFA ban; plans to fight back

“The President has had a public service record spanning more than four decades with an unblemished reputation. He has never been associated with matters of corruption in his entire life, private and public.

“It is not surprising that even the founder of the NDC has on several occasions, vouched to the incorruptibility of President Nana Akufo-Addo. Also, his commitment, both in words and in deeds, to the fight against the canker of corruption remains admirably unwavering and indubitable, perhaps, never seen in the history of this country.”

Re: National Democratic Congress Statement on FIFA’s Lifetime Ban of Kwasi Nyantakyi

The Ministry of Information has taken notice of a statement captioned, “National Democratic Congress Statement on FIFA’s Lifetime Ban of Kwasi Nyantakyi”, dated 30th October 2018 which was signed by Kofi Adams, the party’s National Organizer.

RELATED STORY: Nyantakyi must appeal the FIFA ban – Alhaji Grusah

In the statement, the NDC, among other things, sought to bring the name of His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo into disrepute.

Ordinarily, the Ministry of Information would not respond to prejudicial statements intended to smear state actors. We are however compelled to set the records straight and respond as follows:

It is untrue claims made by the NDC that Mr. Nyantekyi is a close confidante of the President. The President has had a professional working relationship with the then President of the GFA, just as he has several other persons occupying positions of public interest.

Mr. Nyantekyi himself has admitted peddling falsehood relative to the claims he made about the President, the Vice President and other government officials and has since publicly apologized.

3, It was the President who caused for criminal investigations to commence into this matter following his viewing of the “Number 12 video documentary”.

Criminal investigations have been concluded by the Police CID and we expect that a docket will soon be presented to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice for advice.

READ ALSO: I have a dream to collaborate with Rihanna – Stonebwoy

Appalled by the excesses and possible acts of bribery and corruption at the GFA, government took steps leading to the dissolution of the Executive Committee and related structures of the FA and the formation of a Normalization Committee with the view to restoring dignity and public confidence in footballing in Ghana.

The President has had a public service record spanning more than four decades with an unblemished reputation. He has never been associated with matters of corruption in his entire life, private and public. It is not surprising that even the founder of the NDC has on several occasions, vouched to the incorruptibility of President Nana Akufo-Addo. Also, his commitment, both in words and in deeds, to the fight against the canker of corruption remains admirably unwavering and indubitable, perhaps, never seen in the history of this country.

The government will continue to support all state institutions to do their work without let or hindrance and follow due process in all its endeavours.

The man whose undercover investigation led to the life ban of former Ghana Football Association President from all football-related activities says he cannot rejoice over the downfall of Kwesi Nyantakyi.

Anas who is a keynote speaker at the ongoing African Investigative Journalism Conference at the Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg, South Africa says he was hearing the ban for the first time from the audience and would not go into details.

He told his audience made up of investigative journalists drawn from  Africa, including Ghana and other parts of the world he fought a system and not personality.

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” I am not one person who loves to rejoice over somebody’s misfortune,  I think that I fought a system and not a personality”.

The ruling by the Independent Ethics Committee of FIFA also fined the former Vice President of CAF 500,000 Swiss Francs.

It follows an undercover investigation by Ghana’s Investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas titled  Number 12 which captured several corrupt referees as well as some football administrators.

RELATED: Show outcome of government’s investigation into Anas’ number 12 – NDC

“I haven’t seen the story so at this stage I will say no comment. I am happy that the system is down, and I’m happy that changes are being brought. For me those are very, very important issues,” he told his audience who responded with wild applause.

Anas and former CIA employee, Edward Snowden were speakers at a conference on privacy in Sweden last week.

He flew from Sweden to speak at the 3-day conference which assembled the finest investigative journalists on the African continent and from elsewhere.

READ MORE: John Benjamin mocks Kwesi Nyantakyi over FIFA ban

According to Anas, the  African journalist must adopt pragmatic measures through a kind of journalistic practice that will solve the continent’s myriad of problems.

“There are real problems in our society. When you have extreme disease, you would have to look for a remedy. I would always look out for extreme remedy as I have always said, extreme remedies are the most appropriate for extreme diseases,” he told the journalists.

The collaboration will provide Ghanaians and other patrons globally, opportunity to record and upload videos of everyday corruption through JeSuisAnas.org, an online platform provided by Klarity.

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Tiger Eye Foundation, an organisation with proven track record for fighting corruption in Ghana and Africa, will serve as Klarity’s partner.

Klarity, an independent non-religious, non-political neutral party is  owned and funded by the Swedish not-for-profit foundation, Norrsken.

It believes real change can only come when laws are applied and also by fostering a mindset where corruption is not accepted.

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Founder of Tiger Eye Foundation, Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Klarity CEO Eliza Kücükaslan unveiled the collaboration in Denmark.

The JeSuisAnas.org platform has over  100 videos from Anas’ latest work on exposing corruption in Ghana football uploaded.

It is expected to connect citizens, activists and journalists in Ghana in the fight against corruption.

“We are very excited to be working with Klarity. After many years of working as an investigative journalist and with the Tiger Eye Foundation, I have witnessed the difficulty of exposing corruption first hand. This platform will allow us to expose not only grand corruption but also petty corruption in a safer way and help mobilise civil society to increase accountability on public institutions,” Anas said at a short ceremony.

Klarity will provide the technological infrastructure and digital tools to upload videos by Ghanaians on their daily encounter with corruption.

READ ALSO: 13-year-old girl gives birth to triplets after being raped [Photos]

Upon a successful rollout, Klarity hopes to extend the platform globally.

“We want to encourage the spread of democracy around the world, based on strong, transparent and well-functioning institutions that citizens can trust. Anas and Tiger Eye bring a deep and thorough understanding of activism and journalism to the table, while we provide the tools to engage citizens en masse and multiply their impact.

“We will continue to build partnerships with prominent organisations as we expand Klarity into new countries,” says Klarity CEO Eliza Kücükaslan.

The commission in its report following a complaint lodged by Anas Aremeyaw Anas also cautioned the broadcaster to ensure that his programmes meet the required standards.

READ ALSO: ‘Competent’ NDC members were sidelined under Mahama – Fritz Baffour

The order follows a complaint filed by Tiger Eye Private Investigations against the Mr Kweku Annan and Hot FM, the radio station he works with as host ‘Ghana Must Know’ programme.

The Complaints Settlement Committee of the Commission which investigated the claims determined that Mr Annan abused his professional privileges as a journalist.

“The Committee determined further in taking money with the purpose of tarnishing Anas’ reputation, Mr Annan abused his professional privileges as a journalist, and noted that his activities and behaviour fall short of the ethical standards,” the NMC stated.

The complainant stated that the activities of Mr Annan on his programme “Ghana Must Know” aired on Hot FM falls short of acceptable journalism practice and standards.

READ ALSO: Woman who killed, buried 12-yr-old boy secretly remanded in prison with accomplice

According to Tiger Eye PI comments, Mr Annan consistently made false and derogatory comments on the programme over the period immediately following the airing of a documentary Tiger Eye PI had produced on corruption in Ghana football.

Tiger Eye PI, through its own undercover investigation into Mr Annan’s continuous attack on the team, Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Kweku Baako, revealed Mr Annan was involved in a project purposely to unmask Anas Aremeyaw Anas and to destroy his credibility and that of Kweku Baako.

Mr Annan is said to have requested an amount of GH?35, 000 as an initial deposit to conduct his undercover investigation into Anas’ activities. Unknown to him, the men who paid him a sum of GH?5,000 were with Tiger Eye PI.

Mr Annan through his lawyers had insisted that Mr Anas be made to remove his mask, a request the committee overruled.

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“The Committee was of the view that other established organisations such as the Courts had previously granted Anas the dispensation to appear before them wearing a mask. Importantly also the Committee pointed out that since its proceedings did not necessarily require that complainants or respondents appear before it in person (they could choose to be represented by lawyers), it was immaterial whether or not Anas, or indeed Justice Annan were identified during the hearings.

“There was thus no need to identify the person behind the mask purporting to be Anas before the merits of the case could be heard and decided.”

Tiger Eye PI was represented at the sittings of the Complaints and Settlement Committee of the National Media Commission by its counsel, Sean Kojo Poku.