Former president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwesi Nyantakyi has been re-arraigned before the Accra High Court after he was discharged earlier this year.
The former FIFA Council member and CAF 1st Vice President was discharged on March 11, 2021, by Justice Comfort Kwasiwor Tasiame of the Criminal court 4 of the Accra High Court after the Republic requested more time to file a witness statement.
The judge rejected the request of the Republic on the grounds that the case has been before the court for a year without the witness statement filed despite consistent adjournment.
She noted that “…the prosecution has the whole state apparatus behind her to file a witness statement without” the continuous back and forth.
Justice Comfort Kwasiwor Tasiame in her ruling said “justice delayed they say is justice denied.”
“I think in this modern times there can be a way out for prosecution who has the whole state apparatus behind her to file a witness statement without us going and coming.”
Part of the ruling suggested that the prosecution needs more time to have all pieces of evidence available for case management to commence and advised that, they put their ‘house in order’ and return when they are ready.
“I think the prosecution may need a longer time to put their house in order. Justice delayed they say Justice denied. Just is two-way traffic for prosecution and accused as well.
“It’s been one year since we set out to do case Management Conference but due to the excuse by the learned counsel for the Republic, that they have a witness statement to file, we kept adjourning this case till today.
“I think in this modern times there can be a way out for prosecution who has the whole state apparatus behind her to file a witness statement without us going and coming.
“As it stands now, I have no option other than to discharge accused persons. Any time prosecution is ready, they can do the needful. Accused persons are discharged,” Justice Comfort ruled.
Counsel for the Republic Victoria Asieduaa, proceeded to Criminal Court 2 of the High Court on March 24, 2021, to have the case heard afresh.
The counsel for Nyantakyi filed an opposition against the move of the Republic, requesting that the case be taken back to Court 4, but on June 7, Justice Elfreda A. Dankyi of Court ruled that the case will be heard before her with the same charges.
An initial date of June 23, 2021, was set for case processes to begin, but it was adjourned to June 29, 2021, where the same charges leveled against the two last year, were tabled before the court for the hearing.
They were granted bail again, to the sum of GHC 1 million with three sureties just as it was in 2020.
Kwesi Nyantakyi and Abdulai Alhassan in 2014 were slapped with three charges including fraud by the Accra High Court in March last year.
Two other charges were conspiracy to commit fraud and fraud for their roles in a documentary dubbed number 12 by Tiger Eye PI.
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