The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has named former Power Minister Kwabena Donkor and four other individuals as persons of interest in its investigation into the Ghanaian dimension of the bribery case involving former Goldman Sachs banker and former Tema Oil Refinery Managing Director, Asante Kwaku Berko.
The other persons named are Francis Walkson Kwasi Dzafa, a former Technical Adviser to the Minister of Power; Solomon Adjetey Sowah, a Deputy Director; Lyndon Nii Mettle, Director of Tricorp Group Limited; and Baffour Ankomah Brobbey, an employee of Tricorp Group Limited.
Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng stressed that being identified as a person of interest does not mean that any of the five individuals is a suspect or has been found culpable of an offence.
The development follows Berko’s conviction by a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, on August 6, 2026, in connection with a bribery scheme involving more than US$1 million in payments to Ghanaian officials.
The scheme, according to evidence presented during the US proceedings, was linked to efforts to secure approvals for the development and financing of a power plant involving Turkish energy company Aksa Enerji and the Government of Ghana.
US prosecutors established that Berko and his associates discussed and made payments intended to influence Ghanaian officials and facilitate the approval of the power project.
The scheme was said to have operated between 2014 and 2015, at a time when Ghana was experiencing severe power shortages.
Evidence presented in the US case included discussions about a US$1 million payment to the then Minister of Power, who had responsibility for key approvals needed to advance the project.
The proceedings also referenced other payments involving Ghanaian officials and individuals connected to the Ministry of Power, as well as expenses associated with a trip by Ghanaian officials to Turkey to inspect equipment for the proposed power plant.
However, the identities of some of the Ghanaian officials referenced in the US proceedings were not publicly disclosed. They were instead identified in court documents using labels such as “Ghana Official 1” and “Ghana Official 2.”
Ghana probe continues
The OSP said its involvement in the matter extends beyond providing assistance to US authorities.
Mr Agyebeng said the office has continued its investigation into the Ghanaian dimension of the case and intends to pursue the matter based on evidence obtained through its own investigations.
The naming of the five persons of interest therefore marks a significant development in Ghana’s efforts to establish whether any local actors were involved in the alleged bribery scheme.
The OSP, however, maintained the distinction between a person of interest, a suspect and a person found guilty of an offence, emphasising that the designation of the five individuals should not be interpreted as a finding of criminal liability.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
