The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has widened its investigation into the Ghanaian dimension of the Asante Kweku Berko bribery case, naming five individuals as persons of interest.
They include former Minister of Power Kwabena Donkor, former technical adviser to the Minister of Power Francis Walkson Kwesi Gyata, and former deputy director at the Ministry of Power Solomon Adjetey Sowah.
The list also includes Lindin George Nii Mettle, a former director at Tricop Group Limited, and Baffour Ankomah Brobbey, an employee of Tricop Group Limited.
Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng disclosed the names at a press conference while providing an update on the OSP’s investigation into the case.
The investigation follows the conviction of Asante Kweku Berko by a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, on August 3, 2026, over a bribery scheme involving more than US$1 million.
Berko, a dual citizen of Ghana and the United States and former Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery, was convicted over allegations that he conspired to pay bribes to several Ghanaian officials between 2014 and 2015.
The alleged bribery scheme was linked to the development and financing of a 370-megawatt fuel oil power plant in Tema under an agreement involving the Government of Ghana, Turkish energy company AXA Energy Eratim and Goldman Sachs.
OSP Cautions Against Presumption of Guilt
Mr Agyebeng, however, cautioned against interpreting the identification of the five individuals as an indication that they had committed an offence.
He stressed that a person of interest and a suspect were not necessarily the same under an investigation.
“Please bear in mind, and this point should be strongly emphasised: that the person of interest is not necessarily a suspect,” he said.
According to the Special Prosecutor, being identified as a person of interest does not amount to criminal liability or a finding of guilt.
He said any prosecution would have to be based on evidence gathered lawfully and capable of establishing criminal responsibility before a competent court.
The OSP also identified other persons of interest, including some current and former employees of the Volta River Authority, Ghana Grid Company Limited, Electricity Company of Ghana, Public Utilities Regulatory Commission and staff of the former Ministry of Power.
Ghana Probe Separate from US Conviction
The Special Prosecutor explained that although the OSP assisted the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through Ghana’s mutual legal assistance framework, Berko’s conviction in the United States did not automatically create a basis for prosecuting other individuals in Ghana.
He said the OSP would independently examine the conduct of each person under Ghanaian law and determine whether the available evidence supported criminal proceedings.
“The OSP will not prosecute the person solely on the basis that the person’s name appears in proceedings conducted in another country,” he said.
He added that the office would, however, prosecute any individual where its investigations establish sufficient grounds to do so.
The OSP said its investigative and evidentiary assistance contributed to the successful US prosecution, with the US Department of Justice acknowledging the Ghanaian office’s support.
Former Minister Denies Allegations
Former Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor has meanwhile rejected allegations linking him to the bribery scheme.
His lawyers, Cavendish Chambers, said Dr Donkor had no knowledge of the allegations and had “completely and emphatically” denied any request or demand for money in connection with the power project.
The former minister also maintained that he had never met Berko, demanded money from him or received any personal benefit related to the transaction.
The lawyers issued the denial on August 10 amid speculation surrounding the identity of a former Ghanaian Minister of Power referenced in the US proceedings.
With the OSP’s Ghanaian investigation still ongoing, the office is expected to examine the evidence and circumstances surrounding the alleged transactions before determining whether any individuals should face prosecution under Ghanaian law.
