Journalist Shot Dead After Documentary Exposing FIFA Corruption
An investigative journalist who helped expose corruption in African soccer was murdered by unknown gunmen. Ahmed Hussein-Suale, an investigative journalist who worked with Tiger Eye PI and helped expose corruption in the international soccer organization FIFA, was shot dead in Ghana. He was killed on Wednesday evening while driving through a suburb where he was approached by gunmen on motorbikes. Police said he died immediately after being shot twice in the chest and once in the neck. Hussein-Suale's employer said he was assassinated and called for the government to investigate and find the ones responsible. The police have yet to arrest anyone in connection with his death.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas at the funeral for Ahmed Hussein-Suale. (Image via YouTube) Hussein-Suale worked under the mentorship of fellow investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas. Anas has exposed government corruption and crime across the country, including human trafficking rings. He uses secret cameras to record and expose corrupt high-ranking officials in public life which he uses to produce TV documentaries. Anas is famously known for only appearing in public while wearing elaborate veils to conceal his identity out of concern for safety and to allow him to continue his work while remaining anonymous. Anas confirmed Hussein-Suale’s death on Facebook: “Sad news, but we shall not be silenced. Rest in peace.”
Investigative Team Exposed Soccer Corruption
The pair's most recent work exposed the second highest ranking African FIFA official and dozens of referees. To expose the corruption, the investigative duo secretly recorded Kwesi Nyantakyi taking a $65,000 bribe from undercover reporters. Nyantakyi was the president of the Ghanaian Football Association and a FIFA Council official. As a result of the investigation, Nyantakyi resigned and was banned from soccer for life. This incident became a major scandal when the investigation was made into a TV documentary and released to the public. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) also banned nearly two dozen referees and officials on account of the documentary. Following the media and political ruckus generated by the team’s documentaries, the pair's methods were criticized as unprofessional – using secret body cameras and bribes to ensnare corrupt governmental officials. The height of the criticisms emboldened Nyantakyi to announce he will appeal his life ban from soccer.
Government Official Called For the Public to Attack Hussein-Suale
The killing of Hussein-Suale brought increased scrutiny on comments made by Kennedy Agyapong, a member of Ghanaian parliament. Agyapong previously appeared on his own TV station denouncing Hussein-Suale as dangerous and calling for the general public to assault him on sight. Agypaong also shared a photo of Hussein-Suale on the broadcast. “That boy is very dangerous, he lives here in Madina,” Agyapong said on TV. “If you meet him somewhere, break his ears. If he ever comes to this premises, I’m telling you, beat him. Whatever happens, I’ll pay because he’s bad, that Ahmed.” Agyapong on Thursday said on radio he knows nothing about the murder of Hussein-Suale. Tiger Eye PI wrote that “Ahmed was an excellent, experienced investigative journalist.” They added “we remain unshaken in our resolve to pursue nation-wreckers and make corruption a high-risk activity in the country.” The BBC said the slain journalist worked with them recently to investigate and expose ritualists who used human body parts for magic in Malawi. Read the full article
