The Supreme Court of Ghana dealt a severe blow to Anas Aremeyaw Anas when it ordered the journalist to appear in open court without his customary face mask in order to face Kwesi Nyantakyi. This was a significant setback for Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
In a judgment that was handed out on Tuesday morning by the highest ruling authority in Ghana, it was decided that the reluctant journalist must appear in court without any face mask covering to testify in the case with the former President of the Ghana Football Association.
Anas, who has been exceedingly hesitant to appear in court at all, let alone without his mask, will now be publicly seen in court in his true flesh as he testifies in court. This will be the first time that Anas has been seen in court without his mask.
This comes as a result of an earlier judgment by a lower court that granted Anas permission to testify behind closed doors being overturned by the Supreme Court.
The journalist, whose investigation led to Nyantakyi quitting many football jobs, argued that testifying in court would put his life at risk.
An order from the Criminal Division of the High Court 2 of Ghana said that Anas Aremeyaw Anas could testify in front of a camera in the case against Kwesi Nyantakyi. But after Nyantakyi's lawyers filed an appeal, the Supreme Court sided with the former football chief and told Anas to come to court in person so that Nyantakyi could cross-examine him in front of the whole court.
As a result of this ruling by the Supreme Court, Anas Amereyaw Anas is required to testify before the entire court. In an effort to clear his identity, Nyantakyi is putting up a fight in the case that he is involved in against the investigative journalist. As a result of the documentary, the former head of the Ghana Football Association is currently serving a ban that applies worldwide.
It was necessary for Nyantakyi to step down from his roles with CAF, including his position as 1st vice president, which made him the most senior figure at the confederation after Ahmad, the organization's previous president. Nyantakyi was on his way to the very top of the global football administration.
As part of a documentary by controversial Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, undercover reporters secretly captured Nyantakyi and other football officials from throughout the continent collecting financial gifts. Also included in the footage was Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
Since the news broke out, Ghanaians on the socials have expressed their disappointment in the supreme court. They believe it is an action taken to prevent Anas from premiering his latest expose on galamsey. What do you make of this?
