Kwabena Donkor never met or received money from Asante Berko – K.T. Hammond
Former Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor has denied any involvement in the bribery allegations surrounding former Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) Managing Director and Goldman Sachs banker, Asante Kwaku Berko.
Dr Donkor, through his lawyers, KT Hammond’s Cavendish Chambers, said he had “absolutely no knowledge” of the allegations linking him to the US case and emphatically denied ever requesting, demanding or receiving money from Mr Berko or any other person in connection with the power 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,” the lawyers said in a statement.
Dr Donkor acknowledged that he was the Minister responsible for Power during the period in question, when the government was negotiating with Aksa Energy to generate electricity for Ghana amid the severe power crisis popularly known as “dumsor”.
According to the statement, the negotiations were undertaken during a period of “extreme load-shedding” caused by the power emergency.
The lawyers said a technical team comprising representatives of relevant power-sector stakeholders travelled to Istanbul, Turkey, during the negotiations to inspect equipment intended for the proposed power generation project.
“This was and is the regular practice of pre-shipment inspection,” they said.
Dr Donkor, however, denied ever meeting Mr Berko during the negotiations or at any other time.
“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 also denied discussing any personal benefit with Mr Berko or receiving money or anything of value from him.
“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.
“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 further stated that if anyone demanded money in Dr Donkor’s name, that person or persons did so for their own benefit and without his authorisation.
Dr Donkor also rejected any suggestion that references in the US case to a “Senior Ghana Official” seeking money constituted evidence of wrongdoing on his part.
“Our client does not understand that any evidence was led in the US trial which linked him with demanding or receiving any money, cedis or dollars or anything of value to him personally,” the lawyers said.
“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 lawyers therefore maintained that the allegations circulating on social media had not established any personal involvement by Dr Donkor in the alleged bribery scheme.
Cavendish Chambers also warned against publications or statements that could, in its view, damage Dr Donkor’s reputation and integrity.
“We are instructed to notify the general public accordingly, and to state that any publication or statement of any kind which could be interpreted as contrary to the instructions clearly stated above and which will seek to impugn on the reputation and integrity of our client SHALL result in immediate legal proceedings,” the lawyers said.
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