Saga Of Stolen GFA Documents - Arrest FA Boss

Two police suspects in the alleged burglary drama at the powerhouse of Ghana football have linked FA President Kwesi Nyantakyi to the saga and demanded his arrest to assist the course of justice.

That is not all. The two, Nana Oduro Safo and Mr Olloboye Commodore, have also promised a protracted war with the goal of uncovering "a stinky pit of worms" at the hub of the country's football governing body.

The announcement that an office at the GFA Secretariat had been broken, into and specific files stolen was one of two major events that rocked the football establishment recently and scandalised the game's image in Ghana; the other, the infamous middle league cricket scores at Cape Coast and Sekondi.

A few who doubted the authenticity of the burglary story however woke up to the reality of April 12 when FA President Nyantakyi handed to the Police CID, Nana Oduro Safo, General Secretary of King Faisal FC, as the first suspect to be followed later by Olloboye Commodore, Chief Executive of Kade Hotspurs, as the second suspect.

The two were cited as part of a group of loiterers targeted for cleansing from the FA's premises and the only persons so far picked and quizzed by the police. But fingers are still pointing at the score or so membership of a group of football "parliamentarians" who converge regularly after working hours at a small drinking bar at Osu, Surulere Spot, to discuss football matters.

Familiar faces at this football parliament include Ashgold Chief Executive, Kudjo Fianoo, and his colleague 'Wonderful' Kofi Manu, also known as Blue Boy.

Others are George Amoako, Kojo Bonsu, Oduro Nyarko and George Quansah, all key players in Ghanaian club football.

All the finger-pointing and suspicion notwithstanding, the real turning point in the entire caboodle came during the interrogation of the two suspects with the revelation that the stolen documents covered the registration of four players of President Nyantakyi's club, Wa All Stars.

Curiously, those players are the subject of a protest lodged by Bolgatanga Catholic Stars against the FA President's club, Wa All Stars, who won their Division One Zone One decider by 3-0.

After that significant clash, Catholic Stars protested against Alhaji Fuseini, Joseph Asameni, Baba Gullit and Suraj Musah, claiming they were unqualified to play for Wa All Stars.

Catholic Stars had apparently secured vital information from the players' previous clubs including King Faisal and Liberty Professionals but the real proof of the players' registration status are the Cards A, lodged with the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

In the claim of Olloboye and Nana Safo therefore, the only team to benefit from the destruction of that evidence would be Wa All Stars owned by Mr Nyantakyi, President of the GFA.

They also described as absurd, the notion that outsiders would break into the GFA Secretariat to steal nothing but documents which an opposing team needed so badly "to nail the president's club."

In their conclusion that the FA boss was key to the investigations, the two suspects also referred to a recent history and said in the 2005\2006 season, Numbo United of Wa lodged a similar protest against the FA President's club then called Wa Real United.

Then as now, the registration cards of the President's club got "stolen" from the files.

They claim that the only difference now is that at that time "Wonderful" Kofi Manu led the counsel for Wa Real United but in the present case, Manu arrives from Obuasi this week to lead the case from the corner of Catholic Stars and the fight will then just begin.

Story by Sammy Okaitey