New Patriotic Party (NPP) communications aide, Kofi Tonto, has vehemently denied any involvement in a reported US$19.4 million financial irregularity at Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, D.C., according to a statement released on Asempa FM. The statement, issued on October 26, 2023, directly addresses allegations suggesting he was connected to the alleged scheme, which began in 2017 and extended through 2025. Mr. Tonto asserted that the payment of $800 annually, representing a child benefit, was a legitimate part of his employment as an embassy staff member.
According to his account, he was assigned this benefit after his second child was born, fulfilling the requirements stipulated by the embassy’s policies. He explained that the Auditor-General’s investigation, spanning from 2017 to 2025, focused primarily on the period between 2021 and 2025. He explicitly stated that he was not a key individual identified as being involved in the alleged transactions, a point he repeatedly emphasized in his explanation.
Mr. Tonto detailed his role at the embassy, emphasizing that he worked from 2019 to 2021 and that the investigation’s scope primarily encompassed that period. He further clarified that his name appeared in tables documenting staff receiving payments and the allocation of benefits, but he was not included in the identified individuals involved in the alleged financial irregularities. The statement underscored that he had no access to the embassy’s bank accounts and was not privy to any financial decisions.
He stated that after leaving the embassy in July 2021, his final benefits were processed, including a payment for his second child’s birth. The reported US$800 payment, according to his account, was a one-time benefit, a standard welfare provision for embassy employees. He emphasized that he was shocked upon learning about the report’s focus on the names of recipients, describing the situation as ‘disappointing’ and questioning the timing of the publication, stating that he felt that his name was brought to light without adequate consideration of his position.
Mr. Tonto further asserted that the Auditor-General’s report should have clearly identified payments as arising from significant life events, rather than presenting names in a way that could be construed as indicative of wrongdoing. He expressed disappointment with Manasseh Azure Awuni, journalist, and stated that he privately contacted him to inform him of the report’s existence, feeling that his explanation was inadequate. He reiterated his belief that the issue would be addressed by Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee. He concluded by maintaining his innocence and insisting that the US$800 payment was a legitimate and unrelated benefit of his employment.
The report details a $800 payment in connection with allegations of a $19.4 million fraud at Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the Public Accounts Committee is expected to consider the matter.”
Source: Adom Online
Source: Adom Online
