Number 12 exposé: Showing my face to Nyantakyi is like signing my death warrant – Anas

Ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas has said it will be improper for him to disclose his identity to Kwasi Nyantakyi in the case he is expected to testify as a Witness against the former Ghana Football Association (GFA) president.

According to Anas, disclosing his identity to the accused persons will jeopardize his security, and it will amount to "signing his death warrant."

Anas' documentary titled #Number 12, which exposed bribery and corruption associated with the country's football, led to Mr Nyantakyi being barred by FIFA and subsequently charged.

The trial has yet to commence since June 29, 2021, almost three years since Mr Nyantakyi pleaded not guilty to the charge of fraud and corruption over his involvement in the exposé.

He is also facing the charge of conspiracy to commit fraud with the former Northern Regional Representative of the GFA, Abdulai Alhassan.

Principal State Attorney (PSA) Duffie Prempeh told the court presided over by Justice Marie-Louise that their first witness, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has said that given the danger to his personal safety, "it will not be proper for him to disclose his identity" to the accused persons.

This was in response to the court's earlier ruling that Anas would unmask for the accused persons and their lawyers in the chambers of the court before appearing in open court to testify in the mask.

This ruling, the prosecution has said they are appealing.

"My Lady, respectfully, we are expected to bring our witness today (Wednesday, February 28)," the PSA told the court.

"However, following your ruling on our application regarding the mode of testimony of our witness, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, the Attorney General extended an invitation to the witness to avail himself for a pre-trial conference and ultimately to present his testimony in court," she said.

Death warrant

The Principal State Attorney also told the court that, Anas said, disclosing his identity to testify for the prosecution will amount to signing his death warrant.

"My Lady, in response to our letter, Anas indicated that given the danger to his personal safety, it will not be proper for him to disclose his identity to the accused persons and their counsel.

"Anas Aremeyaw Anas is convinced that by virtue of the nature of his work, disclosing his identity will be tantamount to signing his death warrant.

"He indicated further that his colleague, Ahmed Suale, was gunned down after an engagement with the law office. My Lady, he said that the State Security has been withdrawn," the Principal State Attorney stated.

"He has, therefore, impressed upon us to appeal this court's decision which we have done. But the appeal is not ripe for hearing.

"We are therefore pleading with the court to grant us enough time to pursue our appeal to its logical conclusion in the interest of justice.

"My Lady, for the sake of coherence, it will be proper to start with Anas because with the other witnesses, it was just a conversation that happened prior to the event, so they did not witness the event that occurred. My Lady, that is our humble prayer," the PSA prayed to the court.

Strike out criminal suit

Lawyer Baffour Gyau Bonsu Ashia, who was holding lawyer Thaddeus Sory and Charles Lwanga Puozuing's brief for the accused persons, prayed for the criminal suit to be struck out for want of prosecution and for the accused persons to be discharged.

According to him, the prosecution has been indulged on numerous occasions for them to put their house to open their case but has since failed.

"My Lady, it is our humble prayer that the criminal suit against the accused persons be struck out for want of prosecution.

"My Lady, the basis of this prayer is that my Lady has indulged the prosecution on numerous occasions for the prosecution to put their house in order and open their case," counsel submitted.

While pointing to an appeal filed by the prosecution, Mr Ashia said, "the State filed an appeal against this court's decision and brought a Stay of Proceedings which was dismissed.

"My Lady, as we speak for almost five (5) months now, nothing has been done about the appeal; we have not been told that the record has been transmitted to the Appellate Court, we have also not been told that Form 6 has been issued for the appeal to be heard," counsel argued.