Number 12 exposé: Anas must testify without face mask in chambers – Court rules

An Accra High Court has ruled for renowned investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas to be unmasked in chambers anytime he testifies in the criminal charges brought against former President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi.

Anas, who has been extremely reluctant to appear in court without his mask, will now have to remove his mask before he can testify in Chambers.

This comes after the Supreme Court quashed an earlier ruling by a lower court giving permission for Anas to testify in camera.

The journalist, whose investigation led to Nyantakyi resigning from several football posts, claimed his life would be in danger if he testifies in court.

The order of the High Court 2, Criminal Division granted permission to Anas Aremeyaw Anas to testify on camera in the case against Kwesi Nyantakyi.

In June 2018, the former member of Fifa’s executive council was filmed taking $65,000 in cash from an undercover reporter in a film captured by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas which was aired by BBC Africa’s investigations unit, Africa Eye.

Nyantakyi was pictured placing the “shopping money” into a black plastic bag from an undercover reporter pretending to be a businessman keen to invest in Ghanaian football.

He later agreed to what he believed to be a sponsorship deal for the Ghana FA, which he had presided over since 2005. The bogus deal, invented by the reporters, would have enabled millions of dollars in commission to be paid to a company controlled by him.

This cost him his positions as FIFA Council Member and 1st Vice President of CAF.