Former Power Minister, Dr. Kwabena Donkor, has rejected claims tying him to bribery allegations in the US case involving ex-TOR boss and former Goldman Sachs banker, Asante Kwaku Berko.
In a release from his legal team, Dr. Donkor said he had “absolutely no knowledge” of the claims spreading online and stated clearly that he never asked for or collected money from Mr. Berko or anyone else.
“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 stated.
The legal team noted that Dr. Donkor was the sector minister at the time the state was in talks with ASKA Energy to supply power to Ghana during the height of the energy crisis commonly called “Dumsor.”
“Our client also admits that the State, through his then Ministry, the Ministry of Power, negotiated with ASKA Energy for the generation of electric power in Ghana during the relevant period,” the statement said.
The statement explained that the discussions happened amid “extreme load-shedding” caused by a serious power shortage. The lawyers added that a technical team made up of key players in the power sector went to Istanbul, Turkey, during the talks to check equipment meant for power generation in Ghana.
“This was and is the regular practice of pre-shipment inspection,” they said.
Dr. Donkor, however, said he never encountered Mr. Berko during the process.
“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 ex-minister also rejected any suggestion that he talked about or got personal gain from Mr. Berko or any other individual. “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, they did so on their own accord.
“Any person or persons who may have made any such criminal demand in his name did so for that person or persons’ own benefit,” the statement said.Dr. Donkor also asked whether any evidence presented in the US trial actually connects him to a demand for or receipt of money.
