Kwabena Donkor can’t be held liable for Asante Berko’s alleged fraud – KT Hammond

Former Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor has denied ever meeting convicted former Goldman Sachs banker Asante Berko or demanding or receiving money in connection with the controversial Aksa Energy power deal. Hammond, told JoyNews on Top Story that Dr Donkor has categorically rejected allegations linking him to the bribery scheme that led to Berko’s conviction in the United States. He never dealt with it,” Mr Hammond said, reading from instructions he said he had received from his client.

A, B, C, D, E.” The lawyer’s comments come after a US federal jury convicted Asante Berko on August 6, 2026, over a bribery scheme involving Ghanaian officials and a power plant deal connected to Aksa Energy. Berko, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker who later served as Managing Director of Tema Oil Refinery, was found guilty of conspiracy to violate the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, violating the Act and conspiracy to commit money laundering. US prosecutors said Berko paid more than US$1 million in bribes between 2014 and 2015 to multiple Ghanaian officials in connection with the development and financing of the power project.

Dr Donkor was Power Minister during the period under scrutiny and resigned from office on December 31, 2015. Mr Hammond maintained that his client’s position was unambiguous and rejected suggestions that the denial could be interpreted to leave room for questions about payments allegedly made in Dr Donkor’s name. Read what is there,” he told JoyNews.

“I mean, this interpretation and asking me does that also mean what? It is there in clear terms, crystal clear. What he told me is what you are reading.” When pressed on whether alleged payments made by persons connected to the transaction had come to Dr Donkor’s attention, the lawyer declined to accept the premise of the question.

“Could you ask another serious person? Don’t be flippant about this matter. We’re dealing with serious matters.

While denying wrongdoing by his client, Mr Hammond confirmed Dr Donkor’s role as Power Minister at the time and defended the technical inspection of power-generation equipment in Istanbul, Turkey. He said such an inspection was a normal part of th… Lawyer for former Power Minister Kwabena Donkor, K.T.