Nyantakyi Either Walking Into Minefield Or Quicksand – Baako

The Editor-in-chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper says the email hacking allegations levelled against investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas by ousted Ghana Football Association president, Kwesi Nyantakyi may only cause more trouble for the football chief.

According to Kweku Baako, the Nyantakyi may get into even more trouble if care is not taken, as none of the allegations levelled against Anas has evidential proof.

“As much as he is entitled to a press statement, if I were him, I’d focus more on the investigation that is unfolding and deal with the issues that have been raised.”

Mr Baako’s comment is in relation to a statement by Mr Nyantakyi responding to Anas’ #Number 12 video detailing alleged corrupt activities of some football officials, including referees and stakeholders.

Anas Aremeyaw Anas premiered his documentary on June 6

In the video, Mr Nyantakyi is seen having a discussion with a purported investor – which unknown to him was an undercover investigative journalist – from whom he was seeking sponsorship for the Ghana Premier League.

He accepted a $65,000 gift from the investors and also demanded cash on behalf of the president and his vice as well as other ministers of state.

A widespread anger and condemnation of the act led to the dissolution of the GFA and Mr Nyantakyi’s ban from all football activities by FIFA following a complaint by Anas to the world football governing body.

He is also being investigated by the Ghana Police on charges of defrauding by false pretence.

But Mr Nyantakyi after a long silence is fighting back. He is accusing Tiger Eye PI of acts of criminality.

Mr Nyantakyi has been suspended by FIFA
In the statement, Mr Nyantakyi said the supposed bribe money - $65,000 - was in fact not that rather, a refund of travel and hotel expenses. The amount, according to him was $40,000 and not $65,000 as is being alleged, he added.

He also accused Anas’ Tiger Eye PI team of hacking into his email and putting out information from there to make him look bad.

But Mr Baako said Mr Nyantakyi’s allegations are ridiculous.

“I have been well advised that it is easy to verify if indeed his email suffered some hacking and if so, possible areas of the sources. So that claim, I can tell you, potentially is not going to be in his interest.

“…issuing this statement ahead of time and the kinds of things he said the email is available…he has just entered into a minefield or stepped into a quicksand,” Mr Baako added.

He said no one in the Tiger Eye PI team will stoop so low and that even if there was a hacking, there is no evidence pointing to the people he suspects.

The image above, according to Mr Nyantakyi proves his email was hacked

Mr Baako who has access to Mr Nyantakyi’s email correspondence as a result of his involvement in the investigations said, the trend of thought and suggestions as seen in them could not have been put in there by anyone else.

And “if he tells me or anybody they were put in there by hackers and not by him, it will be something,” he added.

Cash request for Akufo-Addo and Bawumia meant for NPP

In the statement, Mr Nyantakyi also said the cash request he made for the president and his vice were not meant for them but rather the New Patriotic Party’s political activities.

Related: $50 notes in 8 bundles=$40,000, not $65,000- Nyantakyi fires back but...

But Mr Baako said that assertion is even more dangerous and worrying as the political parties’ law frowns on the involvement of foreign entities in the activities of political parties in the country.

“The political parties’ law does not allow a wholly owned foreign company to donate even one pesewa to any political entity.”

In Mr Baako’s view, the embattled football president who is himself a lawyer, should know that, that cannot happen therefore putting out such information in the public domain will only make things difficult for him when he goes before the investigative panel.

“If I were him, I won’t talk much, I’ll keep quiet, relax think about things carefully, go to the investigators and deal with the issue there and deal with it there

The current allegations, he believes ”is an afterthought he [Nyantakyi] is trying to rationalize but he is not taking his time to think deeply and so he is throwing the thing out there. His advisors are doing him a lot of harm.”

Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com | Naa Sakwaba Akwa | E: [email protected]