Former Minister of Power Dr Kwabena Donkor has denied any involvement in the alleged bribery scheme involving former Goldman Sachs banker and former Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) Managing Director Asante Kwaku Berko.
A federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, convicted Berko on Thursday, August 6, over a scheme involving more than US$1 million in bribes to Ghanaian officials in connection with the development and financing of a power plant in Ghana.
The US Department of Justice had earlier said Berko and his co-conspirators allegedly paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to Ghanaian officials to help secure the Turkish energy company’s bid to build and operate the power plant.
The US indictment also alleged that five Ghanaian officials received US$5,000 each during an all-expenses-paid trip to Turkey to inspect equipment for the project.
In a statement issued on Monday, August 10, Cavendish Chambers said Dr Donkor accepted that he was the Minister of Power at the time of the transaction and that his ministry negotiated with Turkish energy company AKSA Enerji for the generation of electricity in Ghana.
However, the former minister strongly denied any personal dealings with Berko.
“Our client instructs us in very crystal clear language that he has absolutely no knowledge about the allegations linked to him. He completely and emphatically denies any knowledge of a request or demand for any money as alleged,” the lawyers said.
The law firm said the negotiations took place during Ghana’s severe power crisis, when the country was experiencing extensive load-shedding, commonly known as dumsor.
According to the statement, a technical team comprising representatives of various power sector institutions was sent to Istanbul, Turkey, to inspect equipment intended for the emergency power project.
Dr Donkor, through his lawyers, said he never met Berko during the negotiations or at any time afterwards.
The lawyers further stated that the former minister never discussed any personal benefit with Berko or any other person, authorised anyone to negotiate such a benefit on his behalf, or received money or anything of value from Berko.
“He never received any money in any denomination or any personal benefit of any value from Mr Asante Berko or any other person,” the statement said.
The lawyers also rejected any attempt to attribute to the former minister demands allegedly made by unidentified persons on behalf of a “Senior Ghana Official”.
The law firm cautioned that any publication or statement that contradicts Dr Donkor’s position and seeks to damage his reputation or integrity would result in legal action.
Meanwhile, the development comes on the back of calls for investigations into the identities of Ghanaian officials allegedly involved in the bribery scheme following Berko’s conviction.
The Attorney General has announced plans to collaborate with US authorities on the matter to identify the implicated officials.
