Black polybag, dollars, big boast: How Anas nabbed Adu Boahen and Nyantakyi

The news week has seen two major developments, the airing and aftermath of Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ ‘Galamsey Economy’ documentary and the appearance of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta before Parliament’s ad hoc committee over a vote of censure motion.

Whiles the latter is largely seen as a novel situation where a minister is hauled before a committee over censure, the former which involves corruption and influence peddling is not new.

Charles Adu Boahen, Minister of State at the Finance Ministry lost his job after it emerged that he made corruption-related allegations against Vice President Mahamudu Bamumia and also received monies in exchange of helping an investor access the Vice President.

Charles’ predicament also involved him receiving an undisclosed sum of dollars from supposed investors in Dubai, which investors turned out to be undercover agents of Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

But before him, there was Kwesi Nyantakyi, the ex-football capo who was caught under almost the same circumstances.

In this article, GhanaWeb looks at the similarities between the Adu Boahen and Nyantakyi files as reported by Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

Alibi, place and venue:

Both men had been ‘lured’ to the United Arab Emirates’ business hub of Dubai, with the pretext that in the case of Nyantakyi, they wanted to invest in football because he was the president of the Ghana Football Association, GFA, at the time and also a top CAF official then.

Adu Boahen on the other hand was made to believe he was dealing with Emirati businessmen who wanted to establish a bank in Ghana and needed high-level contacts to facilitate their investment.

Big boasts about connections at Jubilee House:

Nyantakyi after talking business with the investors / investigators also sought to flaunt his influence in government when he started talking about connections to some ministers and even the president.

He was captured in the 2018 investigation saying: ”I know for a fact that Nana Addo sold his properties to win the elections so his family is very broke. His brothers are always asking for money, therefore, the $5 million will ease the burden.”

He was arrested upon instructions of President Akufo-Addo and subsequently put before court, the case is still being heard.

In the case of Adu Boahen, one of the most explosive things he said was that Dr. Bawumia will require about USD200,000 as an appearance fee from an investor to get his backing and influence in establishing a business in Ghana.

“You mean, like appearance fees and stuff?" the investigators asked, to which Adu Boahen responded: "I mean he, himself (the Vice President), if you give him some (USD) 200,000 or something as a token, as thank you, appreciation, that’s fine. He’s not really, he’s not really (like) that. All he needs is to worry about his campaign money in 2020," he said.

Dollar gifts and black polybag

In the case of both men, as the discussions progressed, dollar bills are captured on a table they are seated behind. At the end of the discussions, the investigator offers it to the men as a gift for their time and promises.

Nyantakyi was given monies that according to Anas amounted to US$60,000 whiles there is no amount ascribed to how much Adu Boahen received.

In the case of both men, the investigators having captured the monies, hand black polybags to them and urge them on to collect the monies by themselves into the bag, which they do and exit the room.

Modus operandi criticised

In the wake of the new film, talk has come up again about the controversial modus operandi of Anas and his agents.

His boss, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako offers a response to critics: "Those who want to continue asking questions and criticising "methodologies" and perceived/alleged omissions of Tiger Eye, are entitled to continue! FREE SPEECH!!"

SARA