The Dansoman Circuit Court has officially struck out the criminal case involving an alleged death threat against former Ghanaian boxer Michael Ayitey Okai, popularly known as Ayitey Powers. The decision, which was handed down on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, resulted in the immediate discharge and release of the former boxer after he had spent approximately a week on remand in police custody.
The Complainant’s Withdrawal
The court, presided over by Ms. Nancy Teiko Searyoh, discontinued the case after the prosecution revealed that the primary complainant was no longer interested in pursuing the matter. The complainant, Mr. Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, who serves as the Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), formally communicated his decision to the authorities.
During the court proceedings, Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder, the lead prosecutor, informed the judge that the Greater Accra Regional Police Command had received a letter from Mr. Ampofo Ankrah indicating his withdrawal of the complaint. Following this official stance from the complainant, the police instructed the prosecution to withdraw the charges, leading the judge to strike out the case and discharge Ayitey Powers. Following his release, the former boxer was reportedly seen leaving the court premises in the company of friends and relations while singing a song.
Background of the Dispute
The legal saga began on August 24, 2026, when the Accra Regional Police Command arrested Ayitey Powers. His arrest was triggered by a viral video circulating on social media, which the police intercepted on August 18. In the footage, the former boxer allegedly issued a direct threat against the NSA Director-General, stating, “You, Yaw Ampofo, I will shoot you with a gun”.
According to earlier reports from the prosecution, Ayitey Powers had admitted to making the statements in his caution to the police, explaining that his comments were made out of severe anger. Following the video’s circulation, the Ghana Boxing Interim Management Committee (GBIMC) heavily condemned the former athlete’s conduct and called for his immediate arrest and prosecution to maintain discipline within the boxing fraternity.
The underlying tension between the boxer and the NSA reportedly stemmed from longstanding disagreements over the cancellation of a boxing event by the authorities in September of the previous year, which Powers claimed resulted in significant financial losses.
With the charges now officially dropped, this controversial legal dispute comes to an end, bringing relief to the renowned boxing figure.