Mr Robert Sarfo-Mensah, a former Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA) has described “Number 12”, an investigative video by Journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas as the “saddest moment of his life”.
“In fact I nearly ended my life. Nobody, including close and mutual friends home, and abroad was ever ready to listen to you. Even my fellow MPs in Canada, UK, and South Africa were not ready to listen. I was indeed left alone”.
“Just the two-seconds I was captured in the video destroyed all that I have worked for in my lifetime. My children were out of school for two months because they couldn’t stand the shame. That was when I almost took my life”, he stated.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo suspended Mr Sarfo-Mensah in April 2018, following an investigative video conducted by the Tiger Eye PI, which sought to expose corruption in Ghana football.
In the video, Mr Sarfo-Mensah, a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Asunafo North constituency was allegedly captured receiving bribes to influence player selection in the FIFA under 17 World Cup held in India in 2017.
But, revealing how he was captured in the investigative video, Mr Sarfo-Mensah said “I was entrapped by my detractors and enemies who were bent to pull me down”.
“When I went to the Sports Authority I met one Acquah who was always seen, roaming around the authority.
“I asked my sports Directors about him, and they told me he was the Director of Operations of Accra Hearts of Oak”, Mr Sarfo Mensah told Journalists in an interview at Goaso in the Ahafo Region.
“Being the Director of Operations for the biggest football club in Ghana, I knew Acquah understands football and I took the opportunity to build a relationship with him. We were so close that even he could enter my office at any time”, Mr Sarfo-Mensah stated.
He regretted however that, “while I was trying to draw Acquah closer to myself so that if anything about football baffles me I could seek his assistance and know how to handle the football people, but hardly did I know they have sent him to entrap me”.
“So after we returned from Gabon in August, I was in the office one day, when Acquah approached me for assistance. Acquah told me he had a friend who was managing one of the players selected to play for the Starlets in the world cup”.
“Acquah told me his friend had gathered that the Starlet coach intended to change some players in the world cup so he needed somebody who could help him so that the coach would maintain his player.
“But I told him I was not part of the technical team and I don’t see how possible I can influence Paa Kwesi Fabian and his technical team, but Acquah insisted, and I assured him to do my best”.
“The next day Acquah brought the man to my office. We have lengthy discussions for more than one hour. When they were living, the man told me we don’t go to an elderly person and leave like that. So he offered me GHC5,000 for fuel and I received it”.
“This man was wearing dark glasses, and unknowingly he had hidden the camera, and recorded me taking bribes to fix a player. I was shocked when the video came out.
“I don’t wish what I went through even to my bitter enemy. I lost everything and I nearly took my life”, Mr Sarfo-Mensah stated.
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