In a bold legal move, former Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kwesi Nyantakyi has filed a defamation lawsuit seeking 10 million cedis in damages against journalist Dan Kweku Yeboah and the media outlet Peace FM. The suit, filed on Tuesday morning, also includes Pulse Ghana and GhanaWeb, whom Nyantakyi accuses of broadcasting unverified and defamatory claims that he embezzled $2 million from GFA accounts.
The lawsuit centers on allegations made by Dan Kweku Yeboah, which Nyantakyi insists are baseless and damaging to his reputation. As a former President of the GFA and one-time FIFA Council Member, Nyantakyi argues that such claims have been designed to tarnish his image and cause him severe reputational and emotional harm. He describes Yeboah’s allegations as “reckless and defamatory,” adding that the statements were made without credible verification.
According to the lawsuit, Nyantakyi’s frustration extends to the other media outlets named, which allegedly repeated Yeboah’s claims without any factual foundation. This repetition, he argues, amplified the damage, causing the public to question his integrity and professional history. The court document claims that the defendants did not attempt to substantiate the allegations, referring to the incident as a clear case of “irresponsible journalism.”
The suit quotes a specific allegation from Yeboah, purportedly stating that “President Kwesi Nyantakyi nkoa ko yee GFA Sika two million dollars ($2m) efee Unibank ko di ye,” translating to, “President Kwesi Nyantakyi alone went to Unibank and withdrew GFA’s two million dollars, misappropriating it for his personal benefit.” Nyantakyi’s legal team argues that these statements were spread maliciously, intending to humiliate and create public disdain towards him.
As a result, Nyantakyi’s counsel has filed for both substantial damages and a formal retraction from the defendants, underscoring his stance that the claims lacked any factual basis and were intended to erode his reputation among the Ghanaian public. He emphasizes the significant personal and professional distress caused by what he describes as “malicious and deliberate falsehoods,” seeking redress to restore his image and accountability within the journalistic landscape.
Source: Ghanasoccernet
