Assafuah Refuses to Appear Before Mahama’s World Cup Probe, Says President Can’t Judge His Own Case

A Member of Parliament has turned down an invitation to appear before a probe into Ghana’s World Cup visa saga, saying President John Mahama cannot be allowed to investigate a matter that involves him. Vincent Assafuah, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, said he rejected the invitation “on principle” because the President would effectively be a judge in his own case.

The World Cup visa controversy has been a hot topic in Ghana, with questions raised about how visas were arranged for people travelling to support the Black Stars at the tournament. The President set up a probe to look into the matter, and several people have been invited to give evidence. Mr. Assafuah is the latest to be called, but he has declined to attend.

Explaining his decision, the MP argued that it is unfair and against natural justice for a person who is connected to the issue to lead the investigation into it. He insisted that anyone accused or involved in a matter should not be the one sitting in judgment over it, adding that his refusal is based on principle rather than any attempt to avoid scrutiny.

His stance raises fresh questions about the credibility of the probe and whether other invitees might follow suit. Supporters of the MP say he is standing up for fairness, while critics argue that refusing to appear could look like an attempt to dodge accountability. Either way, the development has added more drama to an already sensitive national issue.

For the ordinary Ghanaian, the message is simple: a lawmaker is saying “no” to a presidential probe because he believes the President should not be investigating a case he is part of. The coming days will show whether the committee pushes ahead without him, and whether his refusal changes how the public views the whole World Cup visa investigation.