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High Court Judge Justice Marie Louise Simmons has warned that she will discharge former Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kwesi Nyantakyi if the state fails to open its case in court.

This comes after Assistant State Attorney Derrick Ackah-Nyamike informed the court that the state is unable to call its first witness at this stage.

The court had previously laid down conditions on May 17, 2023, for the testimony of the state's key witness, investigative journalist Anas Aremyaw.

One of the conditions was for Anas to make himself available in the judge's chambers for the inspection of his face by Nyantakyi before testifying in the witness box. However, Anas has indicated in a statement that this arrangement exposes him to security threats and therefore, he will not be appearing.

In response to the state's inability to present a witness, Nyantakyi's lawyer, Baffuor Gyawu Bonsu Ashia, raised concerns about the secrecy surrounding the trial, making preparations difficult. He also pointed out that the state has failed to indicate which witnesses it plans to call to the stand on the next court date.

Justice Simmons issued a notice of discharging the accused persons if the state continues to delay the presentation of witnesses. She noted that the case has experienced multiple adjournments over the past four years and granted the state one more adjournment to call a witness or proceed with the discharge of the accused.

Ackah-Nyamike assured the court that the state will rectify the situation and be prepared for the next court date. The case is scheduled to resume on July 25, 2023.