Procedures leading to the prosecution of persons ‘exposed’ in the latest investigative piece of Anas Aremeyaw Anas are dragging, they should have been appearing in the law courts and being processed already if found guilty, for jail, Dr. Ahmed Jinapor, Head of Department, Early Childhood Education at the University of Education, Winneba has said.
Speaking on TV3’s NewDay show Friday, Dr. Jinapor noted that delay in dealing with the legal issues with speed will decrease the confidence Ghanaians have in the CID and the legal system and make the public question their efficiency as far as bringing wrongdoers to book is concerned.
“As a country, we are a developing country and in terms of development, it’s not just about infrastructure but our code of conduct, ethics, corruption. I can tell you that even though I can’t say that when you go to the justice system, there is no corruption but people based on the Anas expose are mindful”
“It’s unfortunate but I think government will have to expedite action in coming out with prosecution because if you will remember, Kwesi Nyantakyi was reported to the CID on the 20th of May and as it stands now, I don’t know if he has even been charged and I find it quite unfortunate when even after the brouhaha and the noise that was being made, the CID, still after inviting all these people including Nyantakyi, had to call on Anas to give them the video to look at so if you have charged somebody and you haven’t even seen the tape, on what basis were you charging somebody?”
“When Ghanaians tend to be cynical about what is going to come out when it comes to this issue, I think they have a legitimate concern based on the actions and inactions of the CID so I want to see some kind of speed going on”, he stated.
Dr. Jinapor, though commended the Attorney General’s office for taking significant steps towards reorganizing the Ghana Football Association in the interim, maintained that the process ought to move simultaneously with prosecution considering the graveness of the allegations levelled against some officials in Ghanaian Football.
“Government has set up an Interim Management Committee and I’ve heard people speak about the committee. Of course as human beings, some will like the composition, others will more or less have reservations towards it but it’s instructive to know that it’s an interim management committee and by virtue of the injunction that was granted to government, their mandate is probably for 10 days, until government goes back to ask for extension so Ghanaians have to look at it that way”
“The Attorney General is doing well in terms of getting this injunction and trying to shape the GFA but it must move simultaneously with the prosecution because the ‘allegations’ being made against them are very grievous and I want to see them in court by now” he added.
Background
The Government of Ghana has put together a 5-member committee to manage the nation’s football after the High Court granted a 10-day injunction on the activities of the Ghana Football Association.
According to a statement signed by Information Minister, Mustapha Hamid (PhD), the committee will oversee the “administration of football and other related matters” in the country while more permanent measures are worked to sanitise the local game.
The formation of the committee is the latest of government’s reactions to the expose done on corruption in football in Ghana by Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
The members of the committee are Dr. Kofi Amoah, who is the chairperson, Cudjoe Fianoo, Chairman of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA), Abedi Pele, former Black Stars skipper, Rev Osei Kofi, former Black Stars and Asante Kotoko player, and Eva Okyere, former sports journalist.
The statement added that the it would keep engaging to FIFA and CAF on the way forward for Ghana football after the revelations in the Anas tape.