The last minute appearance of the Black Stars skipper at the Justice Dzamefe Commission yesterday saved him and his teammates from the wrath of the fact-finding body.
The Stars’ skipper and some selected players of the team had been invited to give their side of what transpired in Brazil, but they failed to turn up, forcing the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi, to hold brief for them and apologise on their behalf.
He apologised to the commission on their behalf for the no-show and also to Ghanaians for what transpired in Brazil, assuring that that would not happen again.
‘We have accepted the apology but we want you to know that you are Africa’s hope in football,’ Justice Senyo Dzamefe admonished.
Letter infuriates commission
Before then the chairman of the commission, Justice Dzamefe, had read a letter from Nyantakyi’s solicitor, Thaddeus Sory, dated October 13, 2014, which stated among other issues, that the FA could not produce the said players physically to the commission because they were adults.
Justice Dzamefe was appalled by a portion of the letter which showed gross disrespect to the commission and President John Mahama who instituted it.
According to him the commission showed a lot of respect to the GFA by planning the players’ invitation together with them and therefore, wondered how that letter could precede yesterday’s sitting.
“This one you goofed! it is a bad PR for you to say they could not produce the players physically here. It creates an impression that you’ve lost control over the team.”
When Justice Dzamefe asked Mr Sory to read paragraph four of the letter for the sake of emphasis, he insisted on reading paragraph three first, provoking the Appeals Court Judge to stamp his authority on the proceedings.
“Too much of technical knowledge and lack of technical wisdom spoil cases,” he stressed.
At that stage, a member of the commission, Mr Moses Foh-Amoaning stepped in to remind the players that this nation is governed by rules and laws which needed to be obeyed.
He explained that by refusing to respond, the players should know that they had disobeyed the President’s Commission, thus raising the question of indiscpline.
“They had a national duty to come here but if they don’t they will bear the consequences.
“It will be the utmost of disrespect, and if we don’t take care this Black Stars will go down in history as the most disgraceful team,” he stated unequivocably.
Nyantakyi’s explanation
Mr Nyantakyi apologised profusely to the commission and explained that the players’ inability to appear was due to flight challenges but still impressed upon the captain of the team to do everything in his power to make an appearance, even if briefly.
‘It’s unfortunate that the players are not here, but that is not in anyway to slight or disrespect the commission.
He said the Stars skipper, for instance, told him he would be available if another chance was arranged for him since he was to leave at 5pm yesterday for a match involving his club today.
Mospacka’s evidence
A Black Stars Management Committee member, Moses Armah, told the commission that he hit back at Sulley Muntari in self-defence after the player hit him twice in the face at the fateful meeting.
He, however, apologised for losing his cool when the player attempted to strike for the third time.
Mr Armah, aka Mospacka, revealed that he floored Muntari with an uppercut after two unprovoked attacks.
Mr Armah said it was such a traumatic experience for him that he had to go for a check-up in the US during a visit to his wife.
He said the ill-tempered meeting began with players such as Muntari, Michael Essien and Kevin-Prince Boateng taking turns to take a swipe at management with regards to appearance fee, accommodation and other arrangements which fell below their expectations.
He revealed that Essien in particular said management had disappointed them and that it was about time the players started beating the management members.
That comment, Mospacka, said brought out an immediate reaction from another management member, Mr Felix Ansong, who thought it was improper for Essien and Muntari, whom he groomed at Liberty Professionals, to behave that way.
He urged the players to be patient especially after President John Mahama had promised to pay the appearance fee.
He disclosed further that he gave the player a hefty blow to his face when he tried to attack him for the third time which saw him crashing to the ground.
He said Muntari then took hold of a chair in a bid to fight but was restrained by his teammates while Nyantakyi and the other officials present took him (Mospacka) away to his room.
He recalled how he braced for the worst when Muntari later rushed to his room and threw a wine glass at him but was blocked by Nyantakyi after which the dissatisfied player smashed his ipad, two iphones and a laptop valued at about $15,000 but took only $8,000 as refund in addition to $20,000 appearance fee.
He said Sulley referred to him as the Abramovich of Ghana Soccer so I was surprised at his behaviour. “I have recovered from the incident and forgiven him as well,” he stated.
He also told the commission that an aggrieved son of his went to the extent of removing a photograph he took with Muntari at the 2006 World Cup from his living room due to what happened.
The Welfare Officer of the Stars, Sylvester Nii Sabahn Quaye, who also testified yesterday described Muntari as one of the peacemakers he used to resolve issues with in the team in Brazil until that nasty incident.
