Private legal practitioner and social activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor has vehemently denied any involvement in a $1 million bribe scheme linked to Asante Kwaku Berko’s conviction in a United States bribery case, a development intensifying calls for a thorough investigation into the Ghanaian side of the transaction. Dr. Kwabena Donkor, formerly Minister of Power, has categorically dismissed any connection to the alleged funds, stating he has never received any money from Mr. Berko.
Mr. Barker-Vormawor revealed this during a Facebook post on Monday following a telephone conversation with the former minister, where he asserted that Donkor welcomed the prospect of an inquiry into the matter, confident that a probe would clear his name. He further stated that Donkor had explicitly advised him against commenting publicly, but indicated a formal statement would be issued soon.
According to Mr. Barker-Vormawor, Donkor explained that his legal team had advised him against speaking publicly, yet he indicated that a statement would be issued, highlighting a significant departure from his initial reluctance to address the situation. A federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, convicted Mr. Berko on August 6, 2026, on charges arising from a scheme to bribe Ghanaian officials in connection with a power plant project involving Turkish energy company Aksa Enerji Uretim A.S. The case has since raised serious questions within Ghana regarding which officials were allegedly targeted and whether any of the money was actually received by individuals identified in the US proceedings.
The US Department of Justice has stated that the scheme involved payments to Ghanaian officials to facilitate the Turkish company’s bid to build and operate the power plant. The investigation, initially sparked by the conviction of Mr. Berko, has since revealed a potential discrepancy: the US authorities initially reported five Ghanaian officials received $5,000 each during a trip to Turkey to inspect equipment. However, the US Department of Justice has subsequently clarified that the $1 million payment was not directly related to the Minister of Power and that the FBI statement referred to Berko and his co-conspirators having ‘discussed paying $1 million to the Minister of Power’ but did not detail that payment as being made to the minister.
Mr. Barker-Vormawor cautioned that public statements should not be viewed as a substitute for the evidence presented in the trial. He stated that the US side of the case had now been determined, making it crucial for Ghanaian authorities to thoroughly investigate the local aspects of the transaction. The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has independently disclosed that Ghana has indicated it would examine the Ghanaian dimension of the case. Mr. Barker-Vormawor emphasized that the matter should not be allowed to disappear without a complete investigation.
He stressed that the former minister had shared some views about what could have happened, but he would not disclose those details because they were matters for investigators to establish. Mr. Barker-Vormawor underscored the importance of ensuring the Ghanaian side of the case receives the same level of attention as the US proceedings. He expressed the hope that the Ghanaian authorities would now prioritize the investigation, acknowledging the significance of the matter in the context of the ongoing legal proceedings.
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Source: MyJoyOnline
