The Ethics Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has cleared former Communications Director, Ibrahim Sannie Daara of any breaches for his alleged role in the Number 12 documentary that premiered about four years ago.
Sannie, who was alleged to have received a monetary gift to influence the inclusion of former Hearts of Oak skipper Thomas Abbey into the national team, Black Stars, has been acquitted of wrongdoing.
The GFA has been directed to re-engage the former BBC sports journalist per the Ghana Labour laws.
According to the GFA’s statement, the Ethics Committee found that there was “insufficient evidence to support the allegation of acts of bribery and corruption on the part of Mr. Ibrahim Sannie Daara.”
He was recorded in a video undertaken by Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye team in June 2018.
In the widely circulated video, the CAF Media expert declined receipts from supposed agents of Thomas Abbey who wanted the then Hearts player invited to the Black Stars.
However, the commentary and transcripts of the video suggested that he directed the agents to give the money to his aide and later went for it.
Sannie sued Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Tiger Eye PI, for defamation and the invasion of privacy.
He asked the court to order Anas to pay him an amount of GHc20 million for damages the video caused him.
After nearly four years since the exposé, the GFA’s Ethics Committee has ordered that Sannie Daara is re-engaged based on the country’s labour laws after appearing before the committee via video calls on three occasions.
“The Committee assessed the evidence presented in the two videos, alongside the transcript, by viewing, listening and discerning the points of variation to discount or validate the assertion made by the voice-over,” the report said.
“Further, it endeavoured to obtain critical testamentary information from the witnesses, as well as from the GFA, and took steps to assess, analyze and consider this information against the charges preferred against Mr. Daara.
“Taking all above into account, the Ethics Committee concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support the allegation of acts of bribery and corruption on the part of Mr Ibrahim Sannie Daara.”
Sannie currently works with CAF as its media expert and was on duty during the 2022 CAF Confederation Cup final between RS Berkane and Orlando Pirates.
