Former Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor has denied any involvement in allegations of bribery linked to the United States case involving former Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) Managing Director and Goldman Sachs banker, Asante Kwaku Berko.
In a statement issued by his lawyers, Dr Donkor said he had “absolutely no knowledge” of the allegations circulating on social media and emphatically denied ever requesting or demanding money from Mr Berko or any other person.
“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,” his lawyers said.
The lawyers acknowledged that Dr Donkor was the Minister responsible for Power at the time of the events in question, when the government was negotiating with ASKA Energy to generate electricity for Ghana amid the severe power crisis popularly known as “Dumsor.”
“Our client also admits that the State, through his then Ministry, the Ministry of Power, negotiated with ASKA Energy for the generation of electric power in Ghana during the relevant period,” the statement said.
The statement said the negotiations took place at a time when Ghana was experiencing “extreme load-shedding” due to a severe power emergency.
According to the lawyers, a technical team comprising representatives of relevant power sector stakeholders travelled to Istanbul, Turkey, during the negotiations to inspect equipment intended for electricity generation in Ghana.
“This was and is the regular practice of pre-shipment inspection,” they said.
Dr Donkor, however, denied ever meeting Mr Berko during the negotiations.
“According to our client, at no point in the course of this negotiation did he once set eyes on the said Mr Asante Berko nor has he since,” the statement said.
The former minister also denied discussing or receiving any personal benefit from Mr Berko or any other person.
“He has never met the said Mr Asante Berko all his life; he never discussed any personal benefit of any value whatsoever with Mr Asante Berko or any other person for that matter,” his lawyers said.
“He never authorised any person to discuss any such matters on his behalf; he never received any money in any denomination or any personal benefit of any value from Mr Asante Berko or any other person.”
“Any person or persons who may have made any such criminal demand in his name did so for that person or persons’ own benefit,” the statement said.
“Our client does not understand that any evidence was led in the US trial which linked him with demanding or receiving any money, cedis or dollars or anything of value to him personally,” his lawyers said.
He further rejected the suggestion that claims by other individuals that they required money from their principals for the benefit of a “Senior Ghana Official” amounted to evidence of criminal wrongdoing against him.
“He does not accept that evidence that some other person or persons claimed that they required money from their principals for the benefit of ‘Senior Ghana Official’ or any other title holder metamorphosed into any evidence of criminality or wrongdoing against him,” the statement said.
The lawyers subsequently warned against publications or statements they said could damage Dr Donkor’s reputation and integrity.
“We are instructed to notify the general public accordingly, and to state that any publication or statement of any kind which could be interpreted as contrary to the instructions clearly stated above and which will seek to impugn on the reputation and integrity of our client SHALL result in immediate legal proceedings,” they said.
The statement follows the conviction of Mr Berko by a US federal jury in Brooklyn on August 6, 2026, on charges related to a bribery scheme involving Ghanaian government officials.
Mr Berko was convicted over his alleged role in bribing Ghanaian government officials during the first term of President John Dramani Mahama to secure a power plant deal and laundering illicit payments through the US financial system.
Dr Donkor’s lawyers stressed that the allegations against their client are not supported by evidence presented during the US trial, as far as their client is aware.
