Number 12 nearly ended my life – Robert Sarfo Mensah

A former Member of Parliament for Asunafor North and a past Director General for the National Sports Authority, Robert Sarfo-Mensah has revealed that he nearly took his life because of the Number 12 investigative work. The 53-year-old was caught in the video that caused so much chaos in the hierarchy of football management in Ghana.

However, sharing his experience nearly five years after the incident, the former lawmaker said the two seconds appearance in the video caused so much chaos in his life. He said he nearly ended it all as he could not bear the shame anymore.

“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 told reporters as reported by Modern Ghana.

According to him, when he got to the National Sports Authority he met one person who he became friends with. He said he did that so he could get more knowledge in football since the person was said to be an official of Accra Hearts of Oak.

“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.

But that promised to be the foundation of his downfall as he said the person was sent to trap him. He said as he drew Acquah closer to him, he only wanted to get football knowledge from him but didn’t know there was more to his presence at the authority.

“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.

“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. Hardly did I know they have sent him to entrap me.

Explaining what led to his appearance in the video he said Acquah came to him to seek his help for a player. The said player was part of the Black Starlets team set for the World Cup in India.

“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.”