Former Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantakyi says he paid $100,000 to investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, in an attempt to kill the release of the investigative video that ultimately led to his downfall.
In June 2018, Anas released a video investigation which captured the 55-year-old along with several other football administrators and officials compromising the integrity of the game at a monumental scale.
Nyantakyi resigned from all his roles at the GFA, CAF and FIFA, and was eventually handed a lifetime ban from football, which was later reduced to 15 years.
However, according to the former CAF Vice President, Anas demanded an amount of $150,000 through his lawyers, to kill the story, but he could only come up with $100,000.
Nyantakyi then revealed that Anas’ lawyers told him the amount was inadequate and the video was eventually released.
“Before the video was released, a former colleague at the GFA Exco, Adam Munkaila, took me to Anas’ lawyers, a certain Kwame Gyan, a lecturer at Legon. I met him at his residence around Westland and he told me Anas was his student and had informed him he needed $150,000 to kill the story.
“I had never been to his house before.
” I gave them $100,000, but they told me the amount was inadequate and later went ahead to release the video,” he said in an interview with Captain Smart on Onua TV Tuesday morning.
“After the video came out, I asked for a refund and even the refund was done in pieces. Today, they would bring $20,000, and the next day another $10,000. They were giving me stories, but eventually I got everything back,” he said.
Nyantakyi has indicated his intention to contest in the Ejisu by-election following the demise of the Member of Parliament of the area, John Kumah.
He will contest on the ticket of the NPP.