$1m Bribery Case: Kwabena Donkor Breaks Silence on Berko Allegations

Asante Berko at the centre of the US$1 million Ghana bribery case

Former Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor has strongly denied allegations linking him to a US$1 million bribery scheme involving former Goldman Sachs banker and former Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) Managing Director Asante Kwaku Berko.

The controversy has resurfaced in Ghana following Berko’s conviction in the United States over a bribery scheme connected to the development and financing of a power plant in Ghana.

Berko was convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn on August 6, 2026, in a case involving more than US$1 million in bribes allegedly paid to Ghanaian officials.

The case has now triggered fresh questions about who the Ghanaian officials referred to in the US proceedings were and whether Ghanaian authorities will investigate the local side of the allegations.

Kwabena Donkor denies receiving money

Dr Kwabena Donkor, who was Minister for Power during the period associated with the power project, has rejected any suggestion that he received money from Berko.

Former Power Minister Kwabena Donkor denies allegations linking him to Berko

In a statement issued through his lawyers on Monday, August 10, the former minister said he had never met Berko, demanded money from him or received any personal benefit connected to the deal.

His lawyers, Cavendish Chambers, said their client had “absolutely no knowledge” of the allegations linking him to the US bribery case.

The legal team also indicated that Dr Donkor was considering legal action over statements linking him to the alleged bribery scheme.

What is the Berko case about?

According to information reported from the US case, Berko was involved in a scheme surrounding the development and financing of a power plant in Ghana.

US prosecutors alleged that Berko and his co-conspirators paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to Ghanaian officials to help secure a Turkish energy company's bid to build and operate the plant.

The US case also alleged that five Ghanaian officials received US$5,000 each during an all-expenses-paid trip to Turkey to inspect equipment for the project.

Those allegations have now become the subject of renewed scrutiny in Ghana following Berko’s conviction.

Why is Kwabena Donkor's name coming up?

Dr Donkor's name has attracted attention because he was the Minister for Power at the time of the underlying power deal.

However, there is an important distinction between being identified as the minister responsible for the sector at the time and being proven to have participated in bribery.

Ghana power plant linked to the controversy surrounding the Berko case

The current public reporting does not establish that Dr Donkor was convicted or charged in the United States.

His position is that he had no involvement in the alleged scheme and did not receive money from Berko.

That distinction is important as the Ghanaian debate develops.

The $1 million figure explained

The widely circulated US$1 million figure relates to the broader bribery scheme described in the US case.

It should therefore not be presented as evidence that Dr Donkor personally received US$1 million.

Reports on the case describe a scheme involving more than US$1 million in bribes, with allegations involving multiple Ghanaian officials.

So far, Dr Donkor has specifically denied receiving money or demanding money from Berko.

Calls for wider investigation

Berko's conviction has renewed calls for Ghanaian authorities to examine the local side of the power project.

The key question is whether the US proceedings provide enough information for Ghanaian investigators to identify and investigate any Ghanaian officials who may have participated in wrongdoing.

The development is particularly significant because Ghana has previously faced controversies surrounding emergency power projects negotiated during the country's power crisis.

A thorough investigation could therefore go beyond the individuals already mentioned in public discussion and examine the entire procurement, financing and approval process.

What happens next?

Several questions remain unanswered.

Who exactly were the Ghanaian officials allegedly involved in the bribery scheme?

Did any of the alleged payments influence decisions connected to the power project?

Will Ghanaian authorities formally investigate the Ghana-side allegations?

Will the US authorities provide additional information to Ghana?

And perhaps most importantly:

Will anyone in Ghana face prosecution if evidence of criminal conduct is established?

These questions cannot be answered simply by social-media claims or political accusations.

They require evidence, official investigations and, where appropriate, due process.

Donkor's denial puts the spotlight on the evidence

For Dr Donkor, the immediate issue is clear: he says the allegations linking him to Berko are false.

His lawyers have indicated that they are prepared to take legal steps over the claims.

That means the debate could now move from political speculation to a question of evidence.

If investigators have evidence linking particular Ghanaian officials to the alleged bribery scheme, that evidence will have to be properly established.

If there is no evidence against individuals who have been publicly named or associated with the case, they will also have a legitimate basis to demand that their names be cleared.

The bigger Ghana question

The Berko case has once again placed Ghana's power-sector deals under the microscope.

The country spent billions of cedis dealing with the consequences of the power crisis, while emergency power projects became central to efforts to stabilise electricity supply.

The latest development provides an opportunity to examine not only the alleged bribery but also how major public-sector power contracts were negotiated, approved and financed.

For Ghanaians, the ultimate issue is accountability.

If public officials received improper payments, there must be consequences.

If individuals have been wrongly accused, the evidence should also clear their names.

For now, Dr Kwabena Donkor strongly denies involvement in the alleged bribery scheme involving Asante Berko.

The next significant development will be whether Ghanaian authorities investigate the allegations and what evidence emerges from the US case.

Global Pulse GH will continue to follow the case as more information becomes available.