Former Power Minister, Dr Kwabena Donkor, has denied any involvement in the alleged bribery scheme involving former Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) Managing Director Asante Kwaku Berko, insisting that he neither met nor received money from the former Goldman Sachs banker.
In a statement issued through his lawyers, Dr Donkor said he had no knowledge of the allegations linking him to the case and rejected any suggestion that he solicited or benefited from payments connected to the power plant deal.
“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.
Dr Donkor acknowledged that, as Minister responsible for Power at the time, his ministry was involved in negotiations with ASKA Energy for the generation of electricity in Ghana.
The negotiations took place during a severe power crisis, characterised by extensive load-shedding, popularly referred to as “Dumsor”.
According to his lawyers, a technical team made up of representatives from relevant power sector institutions travelled to Istanbul, Turkey, as part of the process to inspect equipment intended for electricity generation in Ghana.
They described the visit as part of the normal pre-shipment inspection process.
However, Dr Donkor maintains that he had no direct interaction with Mr Berko throughout 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 further denied discussing any personal benefit with Mr Berko or anyone else involved in the negotiations.
“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.
They added that Dr Donkor never authorised anyone to negotiate a personal benefit on his behalf and did not receive money or anything of value from Mr Berko or any other person.
“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.”
The lawyers also disputed any attempt to link Dr Donkor to claims made by other individuals during the US proceedings that money was required for the benefit of a “Senior Ghana Official”.
Dr Donkor, they said, does not consider such claims, without evidence directly connecting him to the alleged transactions, sufficient to establish wrongdoing.
“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 have subsequently warned that publications or statements they believe damage Dr Donkor’s reputation could lead to legal action.
The statement comes after a US federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Mr Berko on August 6, 2026, over his role in a bribery scheme involving Ghanaian government officials.
The case centred on allegations that Mr Berko facilitated bribes to Ghanaian officials during the first administration of President John Dramani Mahama in connection with efforts to secure a power plant deal in Ghana.
Mr Berko was also convicted of laundering illicit payments through the US financial system.
Dr Donkor’s lawyers maintain that, based on their understanding of the evidence presented at the trial, there was no evidence establishing that their client demanded or received money or any personal benefit in connection with the transactions.
