A court in Ghana has slapped US$50,000 fine on the country's anti-graft agency for raiding the offices of the Ghana Football Association last year.
The Human Rights Court in Accra slapped the fine on Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) for its raid on the premises claiming it was investigating financial malfeasance within the federation.
The raid came in the wake of strained relationship between the GFA and some government operatives and nearly resulted in Ghana's ban from international football by Fifa.
But a ruling by Justice Peter Derry on Friday said the EOCO had exceeded its statutory mandate and ordered the agency to pay the fine to the GFA.
Counsel for the GFA, Thadeus Sory told Joy News he is satisfied with the verdict by the court.
“There are few points that we would have wanted the court to make pronouncements on in our favour which we would not want to discuss. But once the court has made pronouncements, they should be guided by those pronouncement,†he said.
He stressed the ruling is a vindication of their long held position.
Fifa prohibits governments from interfering in the affairs of local federations.
EOCO armed with a court warrant broke into the offices of the FA and made away with nine Central Processing Units, documents and other files.
The action provoked a huge controversy with the FA officials vehemently vilifying the EOCO for illegally breaking into a private property.
The EOCO boss, Mordey Akpadie, said the raid was well within the remit of the EOCO adding, “We are a law enforcement agency. We work within the law. We don’t negotiate the law."