Mallam Yusif Issa has been jailed for four years after he was convicted of two counts of stealing and causing financial loss to the state.
The court has also fined Ghana's former Sports Minister $1,400 or in default another 12 months in jail. In addition Mallam is to refund the missing $46,000 within one month or face another 12 months in jail.
Delivering his judgement, Justice Julius Ansah told the court that the prosecution established beyond reasonable doubt, that Mallam Issa fraudulently stole an amount of $46,000, meant as winning bonuses for the senior national football team, the Black Stars.
The Judge questioned, for instance, why the former Sports Minister did not keep both the match fees of the players, totaling $8,000 and the missing $46,000 in the same bag but decided to separate them.
The judge also said that he was satisfied that the evidence given by the General Secretary of the Ghana Football Association, Walanyo Agrah and the FA's Protocol Officer, Alex Asante were credible. After the one-hour judgement had been read, defence counsel, Ambrose Derry made a six-point mitigation appeal in which he said among others that his client was a first-time offender.
He asked the judge to tamper justice with mercy since the convict had three children who entirely depended on him for their survival, adding that Mallam Issa had demonstrated a commitment to the government's policy of zero tolerance for corruption whilst he was at the helm of the Sports Ministry. Mr Derry later told Joy Fm that he had instructions from his client to appeal against the judgement and he intends to do so in due cause.
