Investigative firm Tiger Eye Private Investigations (PI) has sharply dismissed what it describes as a renewed attempt by former Ghana Football Association (GFA) president, Kwesi Nyantakyi, to distort facts surrounding the landmark Number 12 exposé, insisting that the disgraced football administrator was never “cleared” of wrongdoing.
In a press release dated January 6, Tiger Eye PI accused Mr. Nyantakyi of peddling “misinformation and disinformation” about one of the most consequential corruption investigations in African football history.
The group clarified that its founder, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, never had a personal case against Mr. Nyantakyi before the courts, contrary to claims often made by the former GFA boss.
“The case before the court was between the Republic of Ghana and Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi, who was being prosecuted for several offences, including fraud,” Tiger Eye stated, describing Nyantakyi’s portrayal of the matter as “Anas vs Nyantakyi” as “bizarre—though not unusual.”
According to the investigative body, Anas only stepped forward to testify as a prosecution witness after its lead investigator on the Number 12 project, Ahmed Hussein-Suale, was brutally murdered in 2019. Tiger Eye revealed that Hussein-Suale had earlier been threatened by Mr. Nyantakyi, a claim that has remained part of the public discourse surrounding the case.
Tiger Eye PI explained that Anas later declined to testify after the trial judge ruled that he could give evidence in camera but without wearing his trademark mask — a condition the organisation says posed a grave security risk.
“This would have exposed him to grave danger, particularly in a country where the murder of Ahmed Suale remains unresolved,” the statement said.
The firm stressed that Anas’ willingness to testify was strictly dependent on guarantees of his safety, including the protection of his identity — a condition it described as “non-negotiable.”
The press release further challenged narratives suggesting that Mr. Nyantakyi was acquitted by the courts. Tiger Eye insisted that the criminal case collapsed solely because the Attorney-General at the time opted to discontinue proceedings following Anas’ withdrawal as a witness.
“Mr. Nyantakyi was not acquitted on the merits,” the statement emphasised, adding that the decision to withdraw the case came “despite overwhelming evidence of fraud, impersonation, and other criminal conduct.”
In its argument, Tiger Eye pointed to sanctions imposed by world football governing body FIFA, which found Mr. Nyantakyi guilty of misconduct. FIFA initially handed him a life ban from football and a fine of $500,000 — later reduced to a 10-year ban on appeal.
As a direct consequence of the Number 12 exposé, Nyantakyi lost his positions as President of the GFA and a member of FIFA’s Executive Council.
“This confirms that the decision by the Government of Ghana to drop criminal charges had no justification,” Tiger Eye asserted.
The investigative firm also recalled that Mr. Nyantakyi filed a defamation and breach-of-privacy lawsuit against Anas but later abandoned the case.
“He has instead chosen to litigate in the court of public opinion alongside Kennedy Agyapong,” Tiger Eye said, challenging Nyantakyi to return to court if he believes his claims are credible.
While acknowledging that the former football administrator may be attempting to rehabilitate his public image, Tiger Eye warned against what it described as a deliberate effort to rewrite history.
“History cannot be rewritten with lies, distortions, or propaganda,” the statement cautioned.
Tiger Eye PI urged the public to disregard what it termed “this latest attempt at deception” and reaffirmed its commitment to anti-corruption work.
“We remain unwavering in our mission to confront corruption in fulfilment of our mandate to ‘Name, Shame, and Jail,’” the statement concluded.
The Number 12 investigation, first released in 2018, exposed widespread corruption in Ghanaian football and triggered sweeping reforms within the sport, even as questions over accountability and justice continue to linger years after its release.
