Fifa condemn cold blooded murder of Ghanaian journalist

World football governing body, Fifa, on Friday condemned the killing of Ghanaian undercover journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale.

Ahmed helped expose corruption in African football but was shot dead in the capital Accra, on Thursday and his remains interred on Friday in Madina, a suburb in Accra where he was shot three times by gunmen on a motorbike.

“Fifa has been extremely disturbed and saddened to hear of the news that a local journalist based in Ghana was shot dead,” Fifa said in a statement.

“Fifa reiterates its support for journalists doing important investigative work which on many occasions leads to improvement and governance standards, not only in football but across the board in public life."

“Fifa also extends its deepest sympathies to the family of Mr Ahmed Hussein and very much hopes that the perpetrators of this horrendous crime are caught soon by the relevant authorities.”

Ahmed Husein was part of a team led by award-winning journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, whose probe led to the resignation of the head of the Ghana Football Association Kwesi Nyantakyi.

Dozens of football referees among them Kenyan Aden Marwa and officials were also banned.

Fifa last October banned former Ghana FA boss Nyantakyi for life and fined him nearly $500,000 (Sh50 million) after he was caught on camera accepting bribes.

Nyantakyi was accused of requesting $11 million (9.3 million euros, Sh1.1 billion) to secure government contracts.

Eight referees and assistant referees were banned for life while 53 officials were subjected to 10-year bans. Fourteen officials were exonerated.

The revelations rocked Ghana, where football is the national sport and which prides itself as being a stable democracy in an often turbulent region.