The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has said that there is a big difference between the case of former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Kwasi Nyantakyi and Former Minister of State at the Finance Ministry Charles Adu Boahen who were all captured in separate documentaries produced by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas allegedly engaging in influence peddling.
It is recalled that Mr Nyantakyi featured in a documentary by Tiger Eye PI titled ‘Number 12‘, in which he was captured allegedly accepting a $65,000 bribe.
The former Ghana Football Association president was subsequently handed a lifetime ban by FIFA, but the sanction was later reduced to 15 years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following an appeal he filed.
The former FIFA Executive Council member was also fined CHF 500,000 for breaches of Fifa’s ethics code.
He was found guilty of breaking FIFA rules relating to conflicts of interest, bribery and corruption and commission after an investigation by the Ethics Committee of world football’s governing body.
This was after Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas released a documentary titled Number 12, in which Nyantakyi was captured allegedly accepting a $65,000 bribe.
Nyantakyi is also facing the charge of Conspiracy to commit fraud.
In the case of Charles Adu Boahen, the OSP directed the closure of the investigation on him after stating that though his conduct amounted to trading in influence or influence peddling, which is closely associated with corruption, there is no actual criminal prohibition of his acts in respect of which the OSP has a mandate to further act.
“On that reckoning, the Special Prosecutor directs the closure, at this time, of the investigation in respect of allegations of corruption and corruption-related offences involving Charles Adu Boahen contained in the investigative documentary titled Galamsey Economy published by Tiger Eye P.I. The investigation may be re-opened should the circumstances and further facts so dictate.
“The non-prohibition of most predicate acts of corruption and corruption-related offences engenders impunity of malevolent conduct and the erosion of democratic tenets, which spawn formidable hurdles in the fight against corruption, especially in the public sector. On this score, the OSP calls for the passage of a Corrupt Practices Act to comprehensively codify the prohibition of all forms of corruption. Further, the OSP joins up with the positively persistent calls of the pressure group, OccupyGhana for the passage of a Conduct of Public Officers Act to properly regulate the conduct of public officers,” the OSP said in a statement on Monday October 30.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo sacked Mr Adu Boahen for being captured in a documentary dubbed ‘Galamsey Economy’, a documentary compiled by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
“The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has terminated the appointment of the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Charles Adu Boahen, with immediate effect.
“After being made aware of the allegations levelled against the Minister in the exposé, ‘Galamsey Economy’, the President spoke to Mr. Adu Boahen, after which he took the decision to terminate his appointment, and also to refer the matter to the Special Prosecutor for further investigations.
“The President thanked Mr. Adu Boahen for his strong services to his government since his appointment in 2017, and wished him well in his future endeavours,” a statement issued by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin said on Monday, November 14, 2022.
Responding to a follower on X, formerly tweeter who had asked “How different is Kwasi Nyantakyi’s case from Charles Adu Boahen’s?, I guess some influence peddling are heavier than others” the OSP answered “A big difference. And Kwesi Nyantakyi. That is why he was charged with fraud and corruption by the AG.”
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has issued its investigative findings into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences involving Charles Adu Boahen, a former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance.
On November 14, 2022, President Nana Addo Dankwa… pic.twitter.com/FrHjjP18q9
— Office of the Special Prosecutor-Ghana (@ospghana) October 30, 2023