We’ve not invited Deputy Roads Minister – CID

• Posted on May 25, 2018
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has parried media reports suggesting that Deputy Minister for Roads and Highway, Anthony Abayifa Karbo, was invited yesterday in connection with the case involving the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwasi Nyantakyi.

Mr Nyantakyi was arrested Wednesday morning after President Akufo-Addo had made a report to the police for using his (president’s) name in a business transaction as captured in an investigative piece by Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye PI team.

Early media reports claimed that Karbo, MP for Lawra, had been mentioned by the GFA President in his statement to the police as one of those ‘facilitators’ who could help him (GFA boss) to access the presidency, but a CID chief indicates that it was yet to be established.

Managing Editor of New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku  Baako Jnr., confirmed on Metro TVyesterday that Mr. Karbo had been captured in the documentary following a confirmation that President Akufo-Addo and his Vice, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia had also been mentioned.

“Karbo is mentioned, Karbo is the one scheduled to be interviewed on Wednesday, I don’t see why you are doubting that I’m saying this on public record. Karbo is mentioned and he is aware that he’s been mentioned and he knew that Wednesday, we were to meet for the interview, so he would have watched it,” the journalist said, adding, “If you are not being interviewed, you can’t watch the portion that concerns you; so he knew.”

Mr Baako said, “He was scheduled to be interviewed on Wednesday, meaning, he would have had the opportunity to watch portions of where he was mentioned so that he could react, and that is part of the investigations, so the investigation is incomplete and that’s what I say.”

However, Deputy Director General of the CID, ACP Aboagye Nyarko, said that his outfit had not invited the deputy minister to assist in the ongoing investigations into the alleged corruption allegation involving the GFA boss.

ACP Aboagye Nyarko maintained, “Nobody has been invited to assist in our investigations concerning Mr. Nyantakyi’s case. Even if we are to invite him we must follow the due procedure by first notifying the Speaker of Parliament since he is a member of the house.”

Mr Karbo himself has denied the report of the arrest, saying that nobody had invited him in connection with any case.

No Charges

ACP Aboagye Nyarko confirmed to this paper that no charge had been leveled against Kwasi Nyantakyi.

According to him, the unit on Wednesday picked up Mr. Nyantakyi at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Accra to assist in the investigations after a formal complaint had been lodged by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo against him.

Mr. Nyantakyi, according to the police, has been captured in a new investigative piece by ace journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye PI team allegedly using the names of the president, the vice president and some top government officials to demand bribe from some supposed foreign investors into the country.

The foreign investors later turned out to be Anas and his Tiger Eye group.

Mr Nyantakyi was captured on the tape allegedly bragging to the Arabian investors that he has the president in his pocket and could help them to get to him (president) without much hassle.

The CID Director-General said after interrogating him that “he was then given the opportunity to give out his statement after which the police cautioned and released him on bail with terms and conditions which will not be discussed currently.”

Police Encounter

At about 1:30 pm yesterday, Mr. Nyantakyi, in the company of his counsel, Thaddeus Sory, reported himself to the CID – as part of the bail condition – to continue to assist the police to delve into the matter which has triggered media frenzy and heated public debate.

Wearing a neatly-ironed yellow African print shirt with Khaki trousers to match, the GFA boss reported himself to the director in-charge of operations at the CID.

Gadgets Seized

The CID personnel later confirmed that they had seized the mobile phones and laptops of the GFA president as part of their investigations after a search had been conducted in his residence.

The Deputy Director General confirmed, “Mr. Nyantakyi yesterday handed over his phones to the police before giving out his statement after which he took us to his house for a search.”

Arrest

The GFA boss, after his arrest on Wednesday on his return from Morocco, expressed his desire to assist the police investigators after going through about five hours of grilling.

A Deputy Chief of Staff, Samuel Abu Jinapor, said at a media briefing on Tuesday that Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi was a subject of an investigation by the CID after the president had seen parts of an investigative piece by Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

Mr. Jinapor said Mr Nyantakyi was captured by Anas’ Tiger Eye PI allegedly trying to secure investments in the name of the president, the vice president and other key government officials and that formed the basis for President Akufo-Addo’s complaint to the police CID.

Meanwhile, Anas’ documentary, titled “Number 12: When Misconduct and Greed Become the Norm,” is expected to be premiered on June 6, 2018, at the Accra International Conference Centre.

By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey