Asante Berko bribery case: Former Power Minister denies demanding or receiving share of $1m bribe

• Kwabena Donkor has denied demanding or receiving any money or personal benefit from Asante Berko in connection with the power project.

• The former Power Minister says he never met Berko and had no knowledge of any alleged request for money made in his name.

• Donkor’s lawyers have threatened immediate legal action against publications or statements they believe could damage his reputation and integrity.

Former Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor has strongly denied allegations linking him to a bribery scheme involving former Goldman Sachs investment banker Asante Kwaku Berko, who is currently on trial in the United States.

In a statement issued through his lawyers on Monday, August 10, Dr Donkor said he has no knowledge of any alleged demand for money connected to him and insisted that he never met Berko or received any personal benefit from him.

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The former minister acknowledged that he was the Minister of Power during the period covered by the case and that the government, through the ministry, negotiated with ASKA Energy over the generation of electricity for Ghana.

He added that the negotiations took place at a time when Ghana was facing a severe power crisis, commonly referred to as “Dumsor”, with widespread and prolonged power outages.

Dr Donkor said that, as part of the negotiations, a technical team made up of representatives from Ghana's electricity sector travelled to Istanbul, Turkey, to inspect equipment intended for the power project. He noted the trip was part of the normal pre-shipment inspection process.

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According to the former minister, he was never personally involved with Berko.

He further said he never authorised anyone to discuss a personal benefit on his behalf and had never received money or any other personal benefit from Berko or anyone else in connection with the matter.

The allegations stem from the US prosecution of Asante Berko, a former Goldman Sachs banker who is accused of participating in a scheme to bribe Ghanaian officials to secure a power plant project in Ghana.

According to the US Department of Justice, Berko was involved in a deal between a Turkish energy company and the Republic of Ghana to build and finance a power plant.

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Here’s a breakdown of money involved:

• Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC): $20,000

• A named Ghanaian official: $10,000

• “MoP Girls”, referring to staff at the Ministry of Power: $20,000

• “Power Team”: $25,000

• GridCo engineers: $20,000

• Parliament: $30,000. The email stated that “Parliament was all paid by Asante”

• Travel and visas for the Turkey trip: approximately $45,000 to $50,000

• “Asante personal”: $35,000, which prosecutors said referred to Berko’s own share.

The former minister has asked the public to treat claims linking him personally to the alleged bribery as false and warned that he will pursue legal action against publications that he believes improperly damage his reputation.