NewzFormer Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor’s lawyer says he is unsure whether his client has been contacted by Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) or US authorities following the conviction of former Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) Managing Director Asante Kwaku Berko. Hammond gave the response during an interview with JoyNews when asked whether Dr Donkor had been approached by investigators in connection with the bribery case. The uncertainty comes against the backdrop of the OSP’s confirmed involvement in the US investigation that culminated in Berko’s conviction.
The OSP has disclosed that it provided investigative and evidentiary assistance to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through Ghana’s mutual legal assistance framework. Berko was convicted by a US federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, on charges linked to a scheme in which more than US$1 million in bribes were paid to Ghanaian officials in connection with the development and financing of a power plant involving Aksa Energy. The disclosure of the OSP’s role has heightened interest in whether evidence gathered during the US investigation could lead to further action against individuals in Ghana.
Dr Donkor, who was Power Minister during the period of the transaction, has denied any involvement in the alleged bribery. His lawyer has maintained that the former minister never met Berko, never negotiated with him and never demanded or received money from him in connection with the deal. Meanwhile, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has intensified its investigation into the Ghanaian dimension of the case, with asset tracing and recovery forming part of its investigative plan.
The Attorney-General has also directed EOCO to escalate its investigations as relevant information and official records are obtained from US authorities. For now, Dr Donkor maintains that he had no role in the alleged bribery scheme and says he never had any dealings with Berko. Lawyer for former Power Minister Kwabena Donkor, K.T.
Hammond, says he has not been instructed by his client on whether the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has contacted him in connection with the Aksa Energy bribery allegations. Mr Hammond was responding to questions on Joy FM’s Top Story about whether Dr Donkor had been approached by the OSP or the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) following developments in the United States involving the Aksa Energy deal. Asked specifically whether his client had been contacted by the OSP in connection with the matter, Mr Hammond said: “I’m not so instructed.” The lawyer’s comments come as Ghanaian authorities intensify scrutiny of allegations surrounding the Aksa Energy power agreement and possible payments linked to the transaction.
Dr Donkor served as Minister responsible for Power at the time the agreement was negotiated between the Ghanaian government and Aksa Energy. Mr Hammond has stressed that his client accepts having played an oversight role in the transaction but denies any improper conduct. According to him, Dr Donkor supervised activities at the ministry and ensured that the agreement was prepared for transmission to Parliament for ratification.
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