Embattled Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association has filed a ¢20m defamation suit against private investigations company Tiger Eye PI and its owner Anas Aremeyaw Anas which has alleged he took a bribe to influence player selection.
In an emphatic denial, his lawyer, Dominic Ayine told Joy News Friday, the GFA Communications Director never requested or accepted any bribe from operatives of Tiger Eye PI who had feigned interest in helping a ‘brother’ to get a call-up into the Black Stars Team B.
This interaction was captured in a video by Tiger Eye PI as part of its undercover investigations into corruption in sports administration which has shocked the country.
Since the public airing of the video, more than 70 referees filmed taking “bribes” have been sacked and the Premier League has been suspended.
GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi has resigned and has also been banned by FIFA for 90 days. He subsequently resigned from the world football governing body.
But Saanie Daara has fought back insisting his reputation has been unfairly damaged by the award-winning journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who owns the private investigations company.
He said a careful review of the portion of the video relating to Saani Daara shows his client did not accept any bribe.
In the footage, Saani Daara advised the agent to encourage his brother to work hard for a call-up because player selection is based on player performance.
When ¢4,000 in cash is presented to him, Saanie Daara would not touch it or take it but directed it is given to man standing next to him whose face was blurred in the footage.
In a voice-over, Anas is heard alleging that Saanie Daara later took the bribe after he directed that it be given to the unidentified man.
Counsel for Saani Daara insists the voiceover is an addition which defames his client because the video does not support the allegation of bribery.
“That is the point of our focus,” he said.
This unnamed person whom he asked the agent of Anas to give the money to, did not forward any such money to him, he said.
TigerEye PI’s bid to get a player selected through undue influence also failed as he was not called up to the team.
Source: myjoyonline.com